Lets trade!
by Juliet'lovestory
Summary: "I thought you were going to give us an S-rank mission" A blond whined. Tsundae had decided to prove something to her... and to the little genins that refused to get along. She just hoped they could learn a thing or two. So lets trade them!
1. Divided

Hello everyone, again... this should be something along the lines for "The first time he accepted her on his team." for my other story, "For the first time" but I stared on writting... and never stopped! I swear every time now that I want to do a chapter for that story it becomes a whole story by itself. I has happened four times now! And now I have three full chapters for this little story, hope you like it! Good thing they are almost all written, so im going to be done with this soon.

Its about team 8 and how would they react if they were ever in another team that werent theirs, maybe they can get to realize that they are perfect together. Sorry if Im a little bit harsh on Sakura, I had never really like her, sure she's a great character, but I find her quite mean to Naruto and I hate that.

Whatever! Lets get going!

Disclaimer: I dont own this, they should do this in the anime though, just to see how they all react.

**-.-.-.-.-.-.-**

Shikamaru could run away from a lot of things, he could run away by being Asuma's favorite every time he spent a little more time watching the clouds that he should. He could run away from being the top of his class and leave that to Sakura, he would get good grades just not perfect not that he thought having good grades made you a good ninja, now that he was friends with Naruto he was pretty sure he was right. He would run from his mother ever so often, he swears she was more troublesome than any woman on earth, even more than Ino. He didn't know how his father could still love her, and definitely he could run away from Chouji whenever he was hungry, he had learned over the years than sharing a meal will eventually leave him to have debts with the chubby guy.

He could ran away from almost anything, he had decided, anything but her.

Nope, he couldn't run fast enough from Ino, not even since they were born. For starters both their parents were best friends, so they always saw each other, even if they wanted or not so they became friends too, eventually, once she learned she was a lazy bum and he learned she would never shut up. Since little kids they had been together, then in the academy when they were always fighting everybody has got used to their bitter talks so much no one bothered to stop them anymore, when the room was too quiet they just knew one of them was sick, otherwise why would the shut up? For much their classmates disgrace.

Then, the most annoying thing happened, Ino was his teammate. Shikamaru would have wanted Sakura, Hinata, anyone but her, but no. It was always her. So no matter what he did he would never escape her, not that she would let him anyway, always bossing him around, always ,making fun of him and actually make him work. That word…

One day, two years later from being teammates, Asuma made his way to his students, who were as always, waiting for him, he looked rather happy to be his supposedly day off, they decided in unison.

"Asuma-sensei! Good moning!"Ino said with a bright smile, the other two just grunted, it was always too early for Shikamaru, that for once was on time.

"Good morning guys, so, how are you feeling?"

The three of them looked at each other confused, since when sensei talked to them like that?

"Fine?"

"Hungry."

"Sensei?"

Asuma chuckled under his breath before looking at them like he knew better, Ino stared at him but decided to relax instead of shouting, she sighed and got on her back, staring at the clouds, something that Shikamaru would definitely do, but her? The three of them looked stunned, usually when someone was hiding something from her she would snap, and now she didn't? Asuma couldn't stop being proud at her, everyday she proved him right. She was growing up.

"So? Whats up sensei?"Ino said with her hands behind her head, Shikamaru and Chouji, still seated at her sides were looking at her amused at her behavior.

"Today we've got a… request— from Hokage-sama"

At this the three of them jumped. Mostly Ino jumping to her feet, Chouji munching some potato chips got ot his feet rather slowly and Shikamaru rose to his feet like he was a eighty year old man, but still, fast enough.

"So when do we start?"

Its been a while since Team 10 have had a mission, a long one anyway, and Ino wanted so badly to go on trip, Asuma just chuckled under his breath.

"Better to see yourself."

-.-.-.-.-.-.

"You've got to be kidding me!"

"This is a joke right?"

"So troublesome I can't even explain…"

Asuma barked a laugh at his students, they were on the outskirts of Konoha, where ninjas used to train. They were standing along with the rest of rookie nine along with other ninjas like Gai's team, they all looked around frustrated, clearly annoyed at this.

"Kakashi you said we had an S- rank mission!"

Naruto's yelling could be heard from afar, alright, they were expecting a C or maybe B mission, but definitely not this…

"We have to trade teams?! What kind of joke is this?!"

Sakura who had just heard the news was now eyeing Sasuke looking for anything to give him away, to see if he was mad about this just as much as she was, but nothing on his façade showed that. Shikamaru would even bet ten bucks that he was glad about it.

"Relax everyone, its not for forever. " Kurenai kindly answered their silent questions. "It's just for three days, Tsundae-sama wants to know how you all work in different teams and people, so that way, in future missions, you can not only perform with less mistakes, but we can know now which teams work better in different circumstances, it will not only help Konoha, but it can even save your lifes."

Everybody was silent for a minute, Asuma, besides Chouji spoke too, Shikamaru smirked. He had always known he had a thing going on with Kurenai, otherwise why would he talk?

"Kurenai-san is right, You will be performing missions inside Konoha only, lately we've been having lots of D rank missions, so we are planning on doing lots of them on this three days, understood? Besides you can increase your friendship, a strong friendship leads to a better mission, a mission is solely based on trust, and this is something some of you are lacking on. Even two years later of being proclaimed genins."

Ino and Sakura eyed each other, Sasuke and Naruto scoffed as the ebony haired one suddenly made the blond one trip. Lee glared at Neji, who completely ignored his existence. Tenten sighed and slapped both of them on the head. Kiba made a face to Naruto after he stopped glowing at Sasuke and Hinata turned red when Naruto waved at her, the only ones that looked that they could get along where Shino, Shikamaru and Chouji, and just because they were too lazy to have "a mortal enemy" to deal with. Shino was maybe too smart for that.

Kakashi, Gai, Kurenai and Asuma all sighed. Even in their own teams they had problems.

"And it's even sadder that between teammates your can control yourselves."Kurenai said angrily watching Sasuke and Naruto going at it again, they both stiffed and behaved bowing a little bit. Kakashi sighed and ruffled Naruto's hair.

"What we expect from you it's not only get along with the other teams, but to appreciate the ones you have."Gai interjected with a bright smile. "To show how much of young power will you all have! The fire that burns inside of you! Right Lee?"

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Gai-Sensei!"

All the jounin wondered how on earth Tenten and Neji could put with them all the time, feeling a little bit sorry, but had no time to wonder more as they flashed those way too white smiles, they, having to deal with them for such a long time knew better, and had already turned away but some of their students where flashed for a few minutes before recovering.

"What a drag..."The whole team seven said in unison and they smiled to each other, well Sasuke just kind of stopped scoffing, but they had learned over time that, that meant he was happy, or close to it.

Kakashi coughed a little and from his pouch extracted a list.

-So! The teams for this first day are….

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Oi! Ino-chan! Im hungry let's stop for something, pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeee?"

Naruto whined behind her tugging at her shirt, they had been working all day on a roof that had been damaged over the years, now it was falling apart, and the family had asked for help to Tsundae. Ino looked over him as she passed a cloth at her face trying to get rid of the sweat, she swears they could be brothers, with those eyes and hair no one will ever doubt them. Naruto whinned again, she looked at the bright sun above her and then back at him, passing him the piece of clothing and then she smiled. Naruto was almost knocked over the ceiling.

"Sure thing, we have worked pretty hard isn't it? Aww man, Im tired." She stopped for a second to look around and nodded to herself. "C'mon, let's ask for a half an hour break and lets go eat."

She said rather happily and got to her feet, Naruto was still holding the cloth, crunched in the floor, amused by reason Ino couldn't understand. She raised a brow and offered her hand to help him.

"C'mon, Im sure Kurenai will understand. We can end this later."

Naruto doubted a second more and smiled too, eyes almost teary as he took her hand to raise from the ground. "Sakura would never let me eat before finish a mission…."

Ino blinked once, twice and then laughed. "Billboard forehead? Im in a team with Chouji, Naruto, eating all the time is approved of as long as it doesn't gets in the way."

Ino made her way out of the ceiling as Naruto followed her murmuring under his breath.

"I should really switch teams…"

When they got to the ground Kiba was there already sweating non-stop as he cut the wood pieces that Ino and Naruto where installing on the ceiling. No jacket on anymore. Ino eyed him for a second, damn he's hot.

"Hinata is a lucky girl, don't you think, Naruto?"

Ino turned to see him, just to find Naruto staring at her as he passed a hand through his blond locks, and those damned blue eyes pierced hers, Ino blushed. Alright, Sakura was a lucky girl too, she turned away. Since when Naruto had became such a good looking guy, anyway?

"I don't get it. He's a dog, why would Hinata be glad to have him around?"

"I heard that!" Kiba said as he stopped working and smiled at their direction, then he glared at the male blond.- " and Im not a dog, Uzumaki."

Akamaru barked on his feet happily, Ino tried to compose herself, how was that all the handsome guys weren't on her team? she sighed. Just her luck.

"I now I am hot, so want to go on a date with me Ino?" Ino snapped her head to find his eyes, blushing madly as Kiba grinned at her. Whole perfect body for her to see. But she had whispered that! No way he could have heard it! She was on Naruto's part on this, he was definitely a dog, it wasn't normal. Ino guessed it was one upside of being an Inuzuka. Naruto was looking rather confused.

"She never said that, Kiba."

Kiba stopped looking at her and then sighed, glaring at him.-I can't wait for you to go back to Sakura, and why had you stopped working? I already have all this wood cut for you guys!

Ino smiled and the headed his way, already recovered, patting Akamaru on the head who barked happily at her.

"We are going to eat something, we are starving, wanna go?"

Kiba threw everything to the air, jumping. He had been starving for a whole hour now, and whenever he was, he would just turn to Hinata, who seemed to have a magic back pack, cause she never runs out of sandwiches for him and Shino to eat.

"Damn it! Yeah! Let's go! Go go go!"

Naruto and Kiba could be brothers, Ino decided, she didn't know how they couldn't get along. Maybe because they were that, way too alike.

"And you are telling me… when?"

"Kurenai sensei!"

Ino and Naruto had no idea of how to behave around Kurenai sensei, and both of them straightened unsure of what to do next, but Kiba got it covered.

"We are kind of hungry, sensei, would you let us go and get something to eat? In less than an hour we'll be back to finish our work, as we promised when we took this mission. Right guys?"

They both nodded. Ino and Naruto looked at each other and then raised their brows. He was such a… gentleman, when it came to speaking with Kurenai sensei who smiled lovingly at the three of them.

"You've got forty five minutes."They were making their way out when she called after them.-Kiba, would you be kindly enough to bring me something?

"Of course Sensei."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Ey, Shikamaru?"

"Hmn."

"Would you care to move?"

Shikamaru grunted.

"Is that a yes?"

He grunted again with his eyes closed.

"Seriously?"

This time there was no reply, he heard a long, long sigh and heard Sakura walking or rather stalking away as she went away surely to find Kakashi sensei and complain about him some more.

"I believe it would be better if we both just helped her for the benefits for the whole team, and this way we can be discharged sooner instead of wasting unnecessary time and energy."

Shikamaru sighed and opened his eyes, Shino was standing above him. Shikamaru couldn't see his eyes, but he was sure they were looking intently at him from behind is dark glasses.

"It's just a wall Shino, we can do that later, besides, its… what? Two in the afternoon? The sun is high and we are almost done, lets take an hour break."

Shino didn't react. Shikamaru was not used to this, Ino always reacted, even to the little things, after a few seconds it bugged him.

"Do you want to finish now?"

"Yes, that will be highly appreciated; I agree to meet my parents at four for a meal. I don't want to shame the Aburame's name on being late."

Shikamaru gave a long sigh and agreed to him, he stood up and faced him as he stretched. He felt bad for the guy, if his mother was anything near like his he understood his buggy teammate for the day, but maybe all the Aburames were like that? So secretive and reserved? Maybe even if he got late to the diner silence will be his greeting as punishment. He didn't think the Aburames yelled or whatsoever. He wanted to trade families suddenly… and even Ino. Quiet for once would be good.

"Alright, where's that troublesome woman?"

"Me? Troublesome woman?!" Sakura came out of nowhere holding two buckets of white paint, she gave them to them, filled to the top, Shino took a step back from her amused. Hinata never yelled at him. Never. Actually if they weren't on mission he was sure he had never heard the Hyugga heir yell at him other to save his life.

"I concur that we can finish this in an hour."He said taking the bucket. "and we would fulfill even better the task on our hands if we don't… cause any more interruptions or make a hassle."

Sakura raised a brow at his words. She thought of Naruto and wondered how much of this would he be able to stand if they were teammates, surely his brain will fry after a long conversation with Shino, she giggled.

"Alright, so, so far how you guys think you are doing?"

The three of them looked to their right to find Kakashi sensei reading an orange book on his hands, looking rather happy, he saved the book after reading the last sentence and then looked at his new students.

"Sakura?"

Sakura smiled at being addressed first, she didn't know why. Maybe because she was his actually real student ont this team, maybe because she was the girl or just because, but she smiled anyway at his sensei.

"I think… we are doing good, I've to kick Shikamaru to move but we are fine."

She didn't say that the noise that came from inside Shino's made her shudder every time. How Hinata could put with him? Were those things hidden? And where? At this question she shivered again. She didn't want to know where his bugs lived.

"Shikamaru?"

Said guy just shrugged "We are just painting a wall. There's not much we can say about how we work."

Kakashi nodded and turned to the last one.

"I think we are failing at this mission. Even over my own expectations, being that the wall must be two and a half meters high and twelve meters long." Shino said as he readjusted his glasses. "And so far it has taken us all morning to even be close to finish; being three of us, I had expected to have finished in three and a half hours, not almost seven. I believe having three thinkers in a team, and no "do-ers" is keeping us from finish anything and I believe I am very well informed now, at least in this case, to be able to agree in the report to Hokage-sama to never create a team like this in the future, cause it will end in failure in any sort of mission or whatsoever. Sakura does more yelling than anything, she's not a leader, she just expect people to work like she wants to, that's why Shikamaru refused to work at first, and then I realized the word on him was true, even thought Im positive he's the smartest of the three, he's the laziest for reasons that are beyond my knowledge. So having someone yell at me, and other one not working clearly put me into such rage that I can tell it affected them and their way on working too, and for that I apologize. I must control my emotions better."

Shikamaru and Sakura had never be so glad to have brains like theirs to catch up so quickly at his even and calm voice as he ran through all of this. He had been so calm… he didn't sound angry, nothing even near. Kakashi blinked twice and then nodded, even Kakashi wasn't sure how to deal with the very serious Aburame, but all his remarks were true, both the hazel eyes and the green eyes where looking intently at Shino, stunned at his words, as he was looking at the front to Kakashi-sensei his hands in his pockets.

Sakura looked at him, wondering. Was she yelling all the time?

Shikamaru looked at Shino for a second and then laughed under his breath, after a few seconds he couldn't hold it; even Kakashi was surprised by this.

"Yes?" Shino asked politely to his lazy teammate, Shikamaru shook his head and stopped laughing for his own good, and then gingerly patted Shino's back, careful to not kill… anything alive in there and grinned at him. Shino didn't react at this.

"I swear Kiba and Hinata must have a lot of fun with you around. Losing your temper? Man, I didn't even notice, seriously, let it go a bit, you have no idea what I have to deal with Ino on my team, and I agree, having an earful does never help to get anyone motivated."

Sakura hit him in the arm. "Hey! That's the only way to put my teammates to work."

Shino nodded in Shikamaru's direction and Shikamaru nodded too. They were in respect with one another and it looked that the Aburame kid agreed to Shikamaru anyway.

"C'mon, lets finish this guys so we can go eat something." Sakura gave them a faint smile and after a second thought added. "No more yelling, promise." She said after seeing their faces, at least Shikamaru's.

"Can't we eat something now?-Shikamaru asked annoyed to the pink haired girl.

Kakashi made a face under his mask. He knew his pupil, he was hungry too...but he didn't dare doing otherwise. Sakura shook her head as she walked to the wall.-Not until we are finish.

Shikamaru made a face and he was sure Shino did too under his jacket, though he would never know, they locked eyes… or at least Shikamaru thought so… that's the thing about Chouji, they could almost talk by just looking at each other movements. Now he was clueless. Even Ino, just a flicker on her face and he would know exactly what she was thinking. He kind of wanted to rip the buy kid's jackets off. Just to see how is face looked like.

"Ino always let us eat when we want too…" He said under his breath to Shino, who just nodded.

"Hinata always brings food with her for me, Kiba and Akamaru. I can't believe a smart person like Sakura never carries food for Naruto."

They both sighed and went to work. As Shikamaru was at it he remembered Ino, she yelled a lot, but it was a different kind of yelling, he always yelled for him to work, but he knew she would be working too, and Sakura expected them to work, so she could work a little bit less. Besides whenever tired she would give any of them a bag of chips and water. He smiled at the thought and then looked at Sakura, he frowned for a second and felt bad for Sasuke and Naruto, always starving and doing the hard job. Maybe that's why they always ended their D missions so quickly. Figures.

His stomach grumbled and much for his surprise Shino's too, he looked to his left amazed, Shino was still painting, if he had heard it he didn't show it. Shikamaru was annoyed, usually at this task he would talk to Chouji and tease Ino. In good days they would talk between the three of them, he looked right… then left… then sighed. It wasn't happening, with Shino's high report he doubted the guy wanted to talk anymore, not that he was much of a talker. He gave it a try, remembering the part of being friends and all that, he found that all too troublesome for him, but he knew Asuma would expect it from his pupils. He sighed again.

"Shino, what are you eating today?"

"I don't know, mother wanted it to be a… surprise." Shikamaru was well versed in "annoyed tones" to know his partner was annoyed at this.

"Don't like surprises?"

"No."

After that he knew it was dead end, Shikamaru sighed and turned to his right, his last chance.

"Oi, Sakura, what are you having for dinner?"

"Stop asking me stupid questions Shikamaru, you are not getting out of the job, we are almost done, stop complaining."

She recited as she bent for her brush and started working again on a new part of wall. Shikamaru eyed her for a few more seconds amused and then sighed. He set to work again, happy to at least see the clouds if he looked up for a few seconds.

Then his stomach grumbled again.

Troublesome_, troublesome_ team.

Hope you liked it! Made a few corrections, since I upload it the second I finished it without seconds thoughts, _something _im trying hard not to do.

Hope non of the characters sounds to much OC.

-Juliet'lovestory-


	2. Changes

Hello and good day to everyone arond the world.

So, here comes part two, hope you like and the characters and not too OC. I really tried here, as always reviews are always welcome. Useless reviews? Not so much, ignored mostly. Kind reviews? Make me happy, and constructivism will always be welcome, and I actually take those into high account. You can notice that in this chapter, I hope.

Again, thanks for the ones who reviewed, and the ones out there just reading, I know you are there! I can see my charts! buts its okay if you dont leave a review, as long as you like it and took the time, makes me incredibly happy.

This is the second chapter for day one.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, not a single character on this story, which is sad.

**-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-**

"Are you for real?!"

"But— Im hungry!"

"I swear you just ate two seconds ago! Right Sasuke?"

"Hmm."

Tenten sighed, she had never thought she could have this luck. Sasuke and Chouji. She had always thought she had a pathetic team, well not pathetic… but sure a strange one; however, she had grown to love how Lee was never out of fuel, and Neji, even thought he never said it, was always looking out for them, how Gai sensei always trusted them, even her, with his life.

But this was beyond it. She wanted to kill herself. They were walking around Konoha posting some news around the village and removing the old ones while asking people on the way if needed some help at little things inside their shops that wanted them to take care off. It was easy peasy, by far one of the most borings missions ever, as she had said, easy, but with Chouji stopping every two seconds to eat it was near impossible.

"Chouji we need to finish this." She stated with her hands on her hips, annoyed cause she swears she had seen him eating his fifth portion of chips already! She had an idea.

"C'mon, if we finish this in the next two hours we will run around Konoha two times!"

Sasuke grunted and Chouji looked pale, she sweat dropped, of course, this was Chouji Akimichi.

"I'll better never finish this then, I rather stay here."

Sasuke nodded in agreement.

"Oh c'mon Chouji! I want to eat too but we aren't even half way there."

Chouji kept munching and Sasuke kept scowling. Tenten have had it, they have been like this the past two hours already. Sasuke had barely even said two words to her, how Sakura could keep up with him all the time?! Right, she was in love with the guy. She sighed in defeat.

"Alright! If we finish this I'll pay for food at Ichiraku's! But move!"

At this Chouji was on his feet, eyes glowing, he looked ready for anything."Promise? Tenten-san?"

Annoyed at him she sighed and then flashed a little smile, how Ino could keep with him? How they even finished missions?! She wondered.

"Promise. For the good of the fire of youth." She laughed but his face was clueless. "Sorry, it's a joke between Neji and me. But yes, promise."

Chouji took the things on her hands and started to nail the announcements like crazy, in less than five minutes he had already finished that street. Sasuke whistled.

"_That_ was a good idea."

Tenten smiled brightly at him.

"You think so? Well he's moving now, the offer goes to you too Sasuke, we can eat after we finish."

Tenten approached him and took the tape off his and nodded him to follow her. "C'mon we can do the other street."

Sasuke followed her with raised brows. Sakura would surely just be all over him, saying how cool he was and how this was stupid and didn't deserve his precious time. However, Tenten since the first second had handed him the equal amount of work as Chouji or hers. He had seen how Sakura would always put Naruto's the most work whenever possible, behind her back he would always help the blond guy.

If someone asked him, or rather read his mind he would say that he was best friends with Naruto, so even if he would never say it, he hated when Sakura did this him, and it annoyed him to no end that she didn't seem to realize (or care) how whipped he was over her… though recently he had been acting more normally around her. Anyway, having a change at this was actually good. Sasuke wanted to be known not just because he was, indeed, an Uchiha, but he wanted to deserve the name, and he had decided a year ago that he would work for it. Even if it mean taping things to the wall.

He looked at his new teammate as she tapped some things and took rids of others. Tenten never looked at him twice like Sakura did, and didn't blush when they looked at each other eyes. He had to work? So work he did. And she never yelled. He could never be more grateful for the new teams, his ears could have a little break from Sakura's yells.

"So, are you missing them? You team?"Tenten asked as she put another flier, Sasuke was holding the things as she nailed them.

"Hn, you?"

Tenten didn't know if that was a yes or no, but smiled at him anyway and shrugged as they walked to the next post, she blushed a little, ashamed of it "To be honest? A little, Lee is never out of energy, you know? And Chouji is the other way around." She laughed at the memory, explaining at the stoic face of the Uchiha. "Usually whenever he needs motivation, Lee of course, to do something (that is almost near to cero cause he's always doing things) we will propose to run laps around Konoha. He always falls for that."

They were in silent a few more seconds, Sasuke was about to say something when she spoke again.

"Tell you a secret? Promise not to tell anyone."

Sasuke was curious now, so he nodded as he gave her another flier.

"Neji and I always make clones, so when he's not looking we trade places and our clones are the ones running along him around Konoha…" she laughed and then fell silent after a little while. "He possesses no charka, so he could never tell… and since he's such a good teammate even if he started to notice he would be incapable of hurting us to make us "puff" you know. Sometimes I feel bad about it and do the actual runs. Trust me. It's not nice."

Sasuke couldn't picture Sakura running around Konoha two laps a day. Naruto? Yeah, if he proposed him and did a bet. Tenten would totally be worth in any team, he decided.

" Neji on the other hand… is always so fast at everything, kind of shy, they are "eternal rivals" as they call each other… well Lee anyway." Another flier up. "But most of the time Neji is awfully quiet…you remind me of him."

"How?" Sasuke couldn't help but ask.

Tenten shrugged as he nailed the next post. "I don't know, both of you are… so… cold and uncaring on the façade… sorry, no offense."

He shrugged, cause for once the word "cool" wasn't the first on the list, but Sasuke was pretty sure he cared more than the Hyugga did.

"Non taken."

Tenten eyed him.

"but at the same time you both care lots of their teammates, don't ever say that to Neji cause he will refuse it, but I know he does, he just doesn't show it, and somehow I can see that with you too. You care about Naruto and Sakura the same way I care for Lee and Neji." She smiled as they ended up the street and crossed it to get started with the other. "And that's something I take into account into a fellow ninja."

Sasuke nodded and didn't say anything, nor even tried to refuse her words, Tenten crossed the street and saw an ice cream little spot, she rushed and Sasuke sighed as he followed her.

"I want an ice cream please… actually make that three." She said after looking for something ahead from her. Sasuke wondered how she ate that much. Surely Sakura would never allow that much calories on her body. "Mango, vanilla I suppose… and—"

He turned to Sasuke, who raised a brow. Tenten waited.

"Sasuke, your ice cream. What flavor?"

Sasuke was having a hard time to keep a straight face. Ice cream? But it was only two in the afternoon! And they haven't finished their works yet! And she wanted an ice cream?!

"Fine." Tenten sighed and turned to the vendor with a kind smile. "Chocolate then."

"But we haven't finished." Sasuke blurted out.

Tenten took with great effort the three cones and paid them, even after Sasuke had offered to do so, but she refused and said this time in was on her.

"Whenever I feel like we've done enough I treat the guys something, they never refuse it, not even ice cream. Other times its on them. Its kind of a… team tradition." She said as she struggled again with the cones, then she hold them up to Sasuke. "Take one, the mango one is all mine Uchiha, but you can take either vanilla or chocolate, I bet Chouji loves both flavors."

Sasuke had to agree, after eyeing her one more second he choose chocolate, he hadn't realize how hungry he was until now and putting the fliers behind his arm he started eating, it would be a waste any other way. Tenten smiled and walked around with the other one as she ate hers, walking in comfortable silence. Soon, after a minute or so, both of them spotted a blur of green and brown.

"Chouji! Over here!" She waved at him with the vanilla cone, Chouji came running happily. Sasuke had forgot how fast a person could be once he was motivated.

"Im done with my fliers Tenten-san!" He said as he watched both his teammates eating, soon Tenten gave him his ice cream, he started at it immediately.

"Thank you, Tenten-san! You remind me of Ino! She's always giving me food."

"Tenten will do Chouji, no need for Tenten-San" Tenten said happily eating her own cone. "Lets eat and after we are done we can finish this."

"Agreed" Sasuke eagerly said as he ate his chocolate little present, god he was hungry. Why Sakura never let them eat before finishing a mission? Something about wasting energy and time, better to work a little harder and finish early, right now he decided he would convince her out of it. It was good taking breaks from time to time.

They sat down and talked, mostly Chouji with Tenten and a few comments from Sasuke's part, they even managed to get him something close to a "smile" or at least he stopped scoffing, Tenten and Chouji felt kind of proud at themselves.

"Now let's watch the clouds for a bit." Chouji said looking at the sky.

"What? Why?"Tenten said doing the same as she finished her cone and sighed when it was over. "Its kind of boring."

"Hn." Sasuke didn't bother to try, usually on breaks during missions he would spar with Naruto instead of wasting his time, and Tenten during breaks will actually take a nap. Neji always made fun of her because of that but she couldn't help it! She was tired all the time!

"It's relaxing…."Chouji said flatly. Tenten stood still for another minute before sighing in defeat.

"Im sorry Chouji, I cant possibly be still for that long."

"I think we should get rid of this already." Sasuke said getting to his feet, Tenten followed suit they both stared at Chouji… who was now eating potato-ships. The killer intent was evident from kilometers.

Tenten definitely missed Lee, with Lee on her side they would have finished this an hour ago! For God's sake! Sasuke, she decided, was a good teammate, but he was a lazy ass too, without a Naruto to compete against he was pretty much just a good looking guy. Neji at least wasn't useless, he would use his byakugan to tell her if Gai sensei was near and that way they could avoid the other two of team's Gai a little longer. She sighed, and in that moment Gai sensei decided to show up. See? That's what she was talking about.

"Are you done? Amazing shinobis that are lighted up with the fire of youth?" He said as he did a little spin, struck a pose, and flashed a smile. Sasuke swears he saw the sun setting down in the ocean.

He actually dropped the fliers to the ground as he looked around, if Naruto ever saw this he would never shut up. Tenten went to pick them up giggling, even Chouji was stunned, unable to move.

"Almost done, we only have like…. Thirty or so to post." She said eyeing the fliers and then his teammates and sighed. What would they do without her? "Give us an hour or so."

Gai looked at his pupil with a bright smile, proud of her.

"Alright, Tenten! Im a proud sensei, since you have coped with this kid that its not like my precious Lee, and this other boy that its nothing like our cool and amazing Neji." He nodded to himself and then did a little spin again, Sasuke backed away…"but then again, as always, you are doing an amazing job, and I shall leave you at it, in an hour I'll see you and ask for your report."

And he disappeared. Chouji was now sure he would never want to stop being Asuma's pupil and then the respect for Tenten just grew to the sky, she had to not only cope with Lee, that was never out of energy, or with the coldest of guys, that Neji, but with that awkward teacher, suddenly Chouji decided Tenten deserved better, she actually deserved a team full of Naruto's to do the work, and full of Kiba's, lazy but honestly a good guy to hang around and he had a feeling she loved pets, so for once decided to cooperate.

"Lets split and we can finish this in five minutes." He offered and raised a hand, Sasuke, still scared of what he has just witnessed did too, however his face never showed it. He complained non-stop about Kakashi, but at least his teacher never, e_ver_, stroked poses like that, Sasuke almost was glad that he was immersed in his orange books more that those things about youthful fire. Almost.

They finished incredibly early, and having almost an hour to expend they walked without direction to the training ground to meet Tenten's sensei, once there Chouji sat to eat once again and this time Tenten just sighed happily, at least they had finished! After a while he spotted Sasuke throwing kunais to a tree nearby.

"Ino is better than you." Chouji said casually as he looked, Sasuke's brows almost touched. That couldn't be possible. He was better than Sakura, way better, and Ino was pretty much like her wasn't it? So he should be better than her.

Chouji could almost read his mind, but decided to shut it, maybe Ino and Sasuke could end on a team tomorrow, and he would see for himself what he meant.

"if you just turn your elbow a liiiiiitle more inside, it will go faster and hit better." Tenten said to the Uchiha, he hadn't been aware they were watching him. He scoffed again, he didn't follow no ones advice, but still did it once she was talking to Chouji, maybe distracted enough for her not to see him? He tried it… it was better. Way better. Sasuke raised his brows and then turned to his now teammate in wonder. No doubt why she was nicknamed like the queen of weapons. She knew her stuff.

"Im bored!" Tenten said two minutes later, she had tried gazing at the sky, really, but found it incredibly boring to much Chouji's disgrace. "Wanna spar, anyone?"

Chuji kept on eating, so much for trying, Sasuke had almost been eager to do so, but he just nodded in her direction, forgetting the tree.

"This will be interesting…"Tenten said with a smile to Sasuke who was now in front of her a few meters away, she had never fight him before. "No sharingan, Uchiha."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, what was the point on sparing if he couldn't use all his advantages? He always used his sharingan on Naruto but agreed nonetheless.

"Ready? Go!" Chouji waved his hand from his spot, eager to watch the fight, it was such a change between the spars between Ino and Shikamaru, they knew each other so well that it was rather boring after a while, besides, he had never quite seen either of this two fight, he could learn a thing or two.

When they finished, several minutes later when Chouji called for a break, they were both panting, Sasuke had won, and Tenten had recognized it, but not for much to Chouji's point of view. Tenten was just a step behind.

"Tenten! You are amazing!"

Tenten shrugged as she sat up lightly besides Chouji taking a big gulp from the water bottle he offered.

"I spar against Neji or Lee all the time." She took another sip and sighed. "I swear. They beat me every time, they are just too good. I'm never even close to beat them." She said rather sad and Chouji wondered if she felt bad about this, so he decided to make this better and offered some potato chips, sighing she agreed. "Thanks."

Chouji shrugged "With what I have seen just now you could beat Sakura, Ino and even Shikamaru with your taijutsu, just because your teammates are better than you it doesn't mean you are not amazing as well. You can beat me anytime Tenten-san, even Sasuke if given another chance."

Tenten looked at him in the eye, she had always thought she wasn't that much of a kunoichi, she couldn't defeat her own teammates! But she had been close to defeat Sasuke back there, right? According to Chouji. When she lost against Lee, he would always apologize and say that she was amazing and everything, and when she spared against Neji he never apologized, but she always knew he was going easy on her. So whatever their actions or words, she knew she wasn't enough…

But then… maybe that didn't mean she totally was unworthy of being a ninja.

"You… think so?"

Sasuke was not used to it, seeing a girl so… down… even when he knew Sakura wasn't a strong kunoichi she always acted like one, and a proud one too, always acting like she knew better. Tenten, who he was sure was way better than most of the girls on his generation doubted herself. Her, the only girl who had been even remotely close to beat him. The world was a weird place.

"Yes. You are clearly amazing. Tenten-san" Chouji said even when Tenten had asked him not to do so. Tenten wanted to cry.

"Hn."

Tenten smiled at both of them almost teary eyed, she waved them away. She wasn't a total failure, she was actually a good ninja.

Chouji decided that even though it was a drag to work with the ever so cold Uchiha and a way more sentimental Tenten that he had thought of, they did a good team and looked forward to work with them in a future. When he said that out loud Tenten almost hugged them both but restrained herself remembering that Sasuke kind of hated hugs, and Chouji was eating happily on the floor, so instead she went to practice her shots, way to happy to sit still, beside she hated to cry. Sasuke followed suit and without asking she told him how to put his feet, how to do little or minimal movements that would improve his technique in different weapons.

This time Sasuke listened intently, trying what she was telling him without a doubt. All this as Chouji threw little chocolate balls in their direction (who know from where he gets food, really) when he thought they weren't paying attention, but of course, being ninjas, they always were, and to much of his amusement they caught them on the air and then ate them to continue practicing with not so much disturbance. It was such a weird sight watching Sasuke like that. Catching little chocolate balls with his mouth or hand. Chouji wanted to laugh, but if he was anything like Ino, he would be dead, so he reminded happily quiet.

Sasuke decided that Chouji was right, they were indeed a good team, or at least saw some future in it, but didn't said that out loud, and in the years to come and the many mission that the three of them would be put together he never said it, but ever since then he never forgot to bring along a few potato chip bags with him, just in case his chubby friend decided he was hungry and wasn't taking another step without eating, saving Tenten the misery from going all annoyed at him, claiming it was his fault that she was always broken whenever paired.

-.-.-.-.-.-.

Later that night, after reports where handed over to Tsundae and all the genins retired to their houses exhausted, she had hoped that all of them had started to see light, at least a little bit and were rather excited to know what kind of surprises would they find later, even Kakashi, Asuma, Kurenai and Gai had interesting reports to handle her. The genins had been prohibited to see one another till this "trade" thing, as Shikamaru called it, was over. So they could learn the whole experience and actually get something good from it.

Still, there were two genins that weren't having that.

Sasuke was at his home, doing some cleaning in his already clean bedroom when he spotted the teams 7 picture and chuckled. He would totally have a hard time convincing Sakura to change her ways on the team, but he would definitely do it. He decided to treat Tenten next time he saw her, thanks to her he had learned the meanings of breaks and he wasn't sure to give up on them just yet, just out of habit he threw a kunai over his shoulder to a piece of wood in his ceiling, it was the first time he have had no trouble on hitting the exact red point. He grinned, he had now a thing or two to show to Naruto, he even was up to hold a bet and do a few laps around Konoha, just to see how badly in shape Sakura was… he sighed, maybe not, he wasn't that mean, but the grin returned, he would definitely talk to Tenten and maybe she could arrange a spar between Lee and him, he could learn a few things…

Tenten was happily making her way to her house after training some more, she just couldn't stay still! But now she was ready to take a full night sleep till tomorrow's arrangement. She was a good ninja, a great kunoichi, one that managed to still be on her feet after sparing with Sasuke, one that according to him could take Sakura, Ino and Shikamaru at anytime. She grinned at no one as she made it home. She was going to bake something for a certain chubby boy tomorrow! Definitly! She was in high spirits, and for once she wanted to meet Neji and Lee at once to talk about them of her day… remembering she couldn't do so she made a mental note. They would be so proud of her! Grinning she made her kunai fly on the air just to catch it with her eyes closed. Yeap, she was good, she just didn't have realize it. On the other hand she held a few chocolate balls that she ate happily on the road.

Kiba was playing with Akamaru at his room, her mother yelling at his sister for something he didn't care at all, after a while they decided to sleep early, tired of repairing the ceiling, at the end everything had worked fairly okay, even his sensei had said so, and that meant the world to him, though he missed Hinata and her blood trait, with that she would've spotted the missing joist in the ceiling and Naruto wouldn't had fell, breaking his arm. He winced, remembering when Kurenai had taken him to the hospital, refusing Ino and Kiba to come along with her. He would tomorrow look around for the blond ninja, hopefully his arm would be bandaged and not hurting anymore, he looked at Akamaru and sighed as they prepared themselves to sleep. He made a mental note to get some flowers to Ino, for their date. He grinned and suddenly wanted to know what Shikamaru would think of all of this, after all… Kiba tried to convice himself… it was all for him. They, as Naruto had agreed later on the morning… just needed a little push. Besides Ino was hot, if they didn't realize it at least he could get to hang out with her a little bit. He had learned today that she was, indeed, a very funny girl to have around, very different from Hinata.

The second Naruto got home he took off the bandage on his arm, he was already healed and just to prove it he hit the wall besides him… yeap, not even the smallest of pain. And still when in pain early that day Kurenai had been so worried she had actually took him to her house, nearest than the hospital and helped him herself. He was sure she knew about the kyubi, he would bet half his money that she knew he would soon get better, that there's actually no need for her to do this… but still she took care of him like he was Kiba, or any other of her students.

He had known Ino and Kiba weren't allowed to come along because of the same thing they both new, by tomorrow he would be good as new, Kurenai wanted to spare them the detail. Still when he headed home she whispered to his ear, "please do not get rid of it…" Naruto sighed and agreed, he would have to put with a "broken arm" for a week or two… for the sake of his own secret. But in his house he got rid of it, placed it carefully on a table as he smiled remembering the concerned look on Kurenai's sensei face and went to eat some hot instant noodles before hitting the bed. Making a note to ease the uneasiness that he kind of knew Kiba and Ino felt even as they had said their goodbyes to a smiling Naruto, saying not to worry. He couldn't stop grinning at their concerned faces, they really looked quite sad that he had been injured, and Ino he was sure wanted to cry. He blushed a little. Maybe they cared... just a little bit...

Shino was at a special room of his house, checking on his bugs, still annoyed at how the mission of today had resulted, and felt immensely angered at himself for losing his temper, but at the thought started to rose he remember how Shikamaru had laughed at him, and said he hadn't even noticed. He respected the shadow guy, and felt nothing but pure respect for Hinata now, he made a mental note to thank her for her never endless sandwiches she always carried around, he even gave some credit to the Haruno girl. He had learned over the years that Sasuke was as lazy as Naruto, the only difference is that Sasuke was an Uchiha while the other was the pariah of Konoha, he felt respect for the young kunoichi for putting up with them and actually made them work.

Chouji was eating non stop the moment he had come to his house, remembering the days events and wondering if tomorrow he would be lucky to be in Shikamaru's or Ino's team. He decided not. He sighed, he wanted so badly to see the clouds with the three of them, in blissful lazyness, cause let's face it, whenever she felt like it, Ino would do anything to do nothing. He swore over his rammen to tell Ino all the little tips he had learned with Tenten today and decided to let her know she was better than Sasuke at it. He chuckled, he wondered how Shikamaru would react when he tells him Tenten could take both of them easily. He supposed he would say something along the lines of…

"Troublesome " Shikamaru grinned. As it had been said, there were two genins that weren't doing as told. One of them being the shadow justu master. He was standing on Ino's window.

Ino had just finished her cereal as she read a book about dogs, she had been so in love with Akamaru the whole day that she had decided to adopt one too, she wouldn't be around all the time but she had promised herself she would take care of him the same way Kiba did with Akamaru. Sighing, she closed the book and settled herself to sleep. She would definitely ask Shikamaru what dog would he like… he hanged around her house so much she just had to find a pet both of them would like. That noted, he decided to ask the Inuzuka too, blushing madly when she had indeed accepted a date with him once all of this was over, and had already a bunch of flowers ready to be delivered for a special little blond guy with amazing blue eyes and a broken arm. Sakura was lucky. She decided, and an idiot too, if she still preferred Sasuke over him.

"Troublesome." Shikamaru grinned as he stepped over her window, Ino grinned, her light still on, as she spotted him.

"I thought you weren't coming!"She said as she got up again, she was wearing pants and a baggy t-shirt. Shikamaru could bet his life he was the only guy in the whole universe to ever see her like this, he had seen it like that lots, but still he blushed a little when she sat up in her bed, legs close to hers and patted the bed for him to sit down, and so he did.

"Sorry, kind of forgot." He wanted to say 'to weird not seeing you the whole day' or 'I missed you giving us breaks to eat' or 'You are right, Sakura is even more troublesome than you' but he didn't, he just sighed and fell on his back, watching her ceiling, frowning. "It was a _very_ troublesome day."

She lay on her back too and whispered.

"I know, it was kind of weird…." She wanted to say 'I missed you to no end! Kiba and Naruto refused to see the clouds!' or 'Kiba actually invited me on a date… and I said yes' or 'I don't know what the heck is wrong with Tsundae sama doing this' but she didn't. "Naruto broke his arm while fixing the rooftop"

Shikamaru looked at her, not amused at the news. "Really? He's always so clumsy…"

Ino hit him in the arm. Damn, just in the spot Sakura had hit him, all day. He had lost count of how many.

"Don't say that, actually if it weren't from him I would be the one with a broken arm." She said defending her teammate of the day. "He saw I was going to fall, took my arm and pushed me to the ceiling, changing the… am…the—"

"Momentum"

"That!" Ino had missed talking in very 'high classed' phrases. Shikamaru never used them but had quite a large dictionary. "And instead he fell, tomorrow I'm looking for him, got some flowers and a hug to give."

Shikamaru chuckled.

"And here I thought you missed us, looks like at least one of us had fun at the 'trade' today" Again he frowned when Ino hit him in his arm. Same spot. More pain. "I swear if you were a guy…"

Ino frowned at this and soon took his sleeve up his arm and gasped. "I did that you?! I swear I control myself when I hit you! But I haven't been with you all day!"

Shikamaru gaped. She controlled herself?! But he didn't have time to wonder more as green chakra flowed from her hands, curing him in second, Shikamaru sighed in relief.

"Thank you" He said gratefully as he finally stopped fidgeting. The pain wasn't that much, but it still had been bugging him all day, he had felt sore. He felt incredibly bad for Naruto's luck on teammates. "It was Sakura though, don't worry." He sighed happily. "After being yelled all day it's nice… to have this peace…"

Shikamaru felt like sleeping there and then, but Ino sat up suddenly angry, Shikamaru sighed, why couldn't he keep his mouth shut?

"Billboard forehead did that to you?! You are my teammate, Im the _only one_ that can go around hitting you! Did I hit Naruto today?! No! I even treat him meal!"

"You never treat me food…" Shikamaru almost smiled at her saying that she was the only one who could hit him… almost.

"Did I ever yell to him? No! I was very kind to him, thank you very much, after all the crap he goes taking around town—"

"You are never kind to me…"

"_And…"_She then remembered something and passed an arm over Shikamaru's head to grab something and then tossed it in his stomach. Totally forgetting what she was talking about. Shikamaru sighed. So much for quiet. "Shikamaru what dog would you like?"

Shikamaru stared at his teammate for a long minute and then after saying a phrase along with a "troublesome" he opened the book and watched the pictures of different dogs barking happily at him, he would ask later, right now he was happy to have Ino seated by his side talking excitedly over the different dogs she would like. They talked a lot, and in betweens he complained about his day as she told him that it was, besides Naruto's fall, a great day with both the most hyperactive guys they both had ever met.

"You know we are getting into trouble if they find out we had been hanging out, right?" He said after a long, long discussion, they have come in terms with three dogs that both of them would want, when asked why Ino had shrugged, saying she wanted a pet, and said that since he spent a lot of time in there, he had a said in the matter. When he asked about Chouji she told him that 'he loves dogs, he will love mine anyway' and Shikamaru had to agree. Chouji always supported Ino, in whatever she had in mind, most of the times Shikamaru had to drag in just for the sake of their friendship.

Ino looked at the ceiling thinking about his question, then at him and grinned, both of them were on their backs and both of them knew it was time to Shikamaru to go home. "I don't care, if we both shut up about this anyway no one will find out, if they do… well... We are on the same boat Shikamaru, even if you get three days off. Don't think is forever. I still got you."

Shikamaru wanted to think she meant all of that in the good way, so just to keep him happy, he decided to take it that way. Like she needed him. Wanted him on the team.

Shikamaru sighed, pretending, just like he knew she did, they were best friends, for god's sake, of course they cared for each other, still it was fun pretending not to.

"I just can't run away from you, uh?"

Ino gave him a tap on his healed arm giggling. "Glad you see it my way."

**-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-**

So there. Thanks for reading!

I personally LOVED Sasuke, Chouji and Tenten working together, Tenten is by far my favorite female character, she's way too amazing, and somehow, while writting, I had this weird feeling that the 3 of them would work together just fine, not perfectly, alright, but damn good. What do you guys think? Leave a review if you like.

And lets wait to see what wicked ideas Tsundae has for the next chapter's teams. Two days to go.

**-Juliet'lovestory-**


	3. Outrageous

Well chapter three and second day of the trade! Hope you like it, next one will have all the adventures of the three teams on their missions. Very important missions, like catching cats and stuff, but oh well! I just loved how this chapter turned out, I always like to reminisce about what happens, you may see little and subtle changed on this little ninjas already.

Please if you see any grammatical error let me know. Its always good to know and… well here we go!

Review if you feel like it, smiles for everyone.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Pinky swear.

Tsundae Sama frowned as she played with her necklace and sighed over again, she was looking at Konoha through the huge window in the hokage tower, she had been reading a lot of paperwork coming from certain jounins today. Feeling a little bit tired she decided to look at the problem ahead and found herself once again sighing, she was lost at deciding what teams to do next. She had tried strategists; Haruno, Aburame and Nara had proved to her that _that_ kind of team should be forever an option to be disregarded, according to Kakashi anyway, as he made several points that supported that. All of them were great thinkers and incredibly smart, the Nara boy only was the smartest of his generation and still it took them a whole day to finish painting a wall without killing each other.

She had tried "doers." Putting the blonds and the lover dog genin together resulted in a lot of handy work and actually a good team, but it also resulted in a lot of conflict with the three of them wanting the lead the group, all of them wanted to take the decisions and resulting into a lot of fights before having a leader. They actually got into a fight for whole ten minutes before letting Ino get away with it, Kurenai had almost laughed when remembering; Naruto let her because he was nice guy, always letting the girls get away with whatever they wanted- ask Sakura about it- and Kiba because she found her hot. At least Ino was a good leader, she was used to it cause that role was given to her the second Shikamaru and Chouji were put on her team… not that Kurenai said this to the Hokage.

But it also ended on a injured Naruto, if Sakura, Shino or Shikamaru had been there, they would have asked to see how the ceiling was at the _present_ moment before doing any repairs, but this three just focused on _fixing _it, not caring the state of it. Who cared about the actual state if fixing it was what it needed? That's what brought Naruto's broken arm, she was glad that it hadn't been Ino, given the boy's special abilities… but still that didn't mean she had to like it. She sighed worried about him, she knew that by now he would be eating ramen in his house with a perfect healed arm… the down side was that he was injured in front of Ino's and Kiba's eyes, she was going to talk to him tomorrow to convince him to at least stay with the faking for a week before going fully back to work. She sighed again, he was such a good ninja to go and waste on this important three days, but there was no other option.

She shrugged and turned some papers, signed others and tossed tons into the trash, being a Hokage was indeed a lot of job. She smirked remembering her favorite student, even if everybody knew and she never said it, Naruto was her favorite ninja around, and she knew, remark her words, knew not hope, _knew_, he was going to be Hokage. Again she turned to the other teams paperwork and a smiley photo of Chouji started back at her.

She has casted all the "Glue" in another team; Sasuke, Chouji and Tenten. She knew that if it weren't for those three their teams would have dissolved since day one. Sasuke hadn't realized it yet, but he was a main piece for team 7 to keep going. Why? Sakura loved him, to the moon and back, so she would do her best to never_ ever_ disappoint him, let alone leave the team. Naruto stuck cause he wanted to prove the world that he was better than him (Tsundae had decided that indeed, he was, she just kept that to herself, she didn't want the last Uchiha angry at her)…so Sasuke was the glue, even if Naruto was the spirit of the team. Then Chouji, she could never imagine how Shikamaru could still be alive without the chubby guy with Ino always getting into trouble, he knew both his teammates like the back of his hand… he knew how to put Shikamaru in action the same way he knew how to put the fire down on Ino when necessary. Tenten, on the other hand, had a soft spot in Tsundae-sama heart. She was a very good kunoichi, one of the greatest in years, but she had the two greatest difficult ninja to deal with too, if it weren't for her she just knew Neji would have already killed Lee along with his sensei because of their lack of secrecy or rather common sense. She owed her a few easy missions when she became a chunnin.

Then she had just put Lee, Neji and Hinata on a team. She knew Neji and Lee where on the same team, but decided that it was a good exercise either way; to put the two males and force them to work with a different girl in the group.

Why she had done this, put this three together? Easy. Because they were to her, as much as she cared about them, the weirder. With Lee there, she was sure Hinata would come out her shell, maybe just a bit under Asuma's teaching. Neji would try to control Lee a little in order to not feel embarrassed, one thing was feeling embarrassed on front of Tenten his teammate for over four years now, and a whole other in front of his cousin… (Neji and Hinata got a long well after Naruto defeated him, and now they were in perfect good terms from what she had been hearing around town and Kurenai) and maybe Hinata trying to be as fueled as Lee will do her good, as well as Hinata patience would work wonders on the green spandex guy, cause let's face it, Neji wasn't even close to that. Gai was just as fueled at him and Tenten was patient with him, yes, but Hinata gave her a run for her money, and maybe- at this she wasn't so sure, but she hoped against hope- maybe Neji, between trying to act cool and preserve his team reputation had learned something from the experience too. She would read Asuma's work later, right now she had other issues to attend.

She sighed for the ntemp time and looked at the clock in her wall…. Four am and she still had no idea how to put this day teams… and she had a few hours left… and she was really tired, she just needed to sleep.

"Yosh!"She suddenly screamed into the empty room and tossed all the papers to the floor. "I have the perfect idea just now"

She smirked at herself, proud of her judgment, why she had to be so clever, for kamis sake?

After a few minutes, while she organized the teams she shrugged, this would work, she would just think about an excuse later, and with the teams written down, she left to have a few hours sleep as she decided to leave Shizune the task to deliver the paper.

Ino walked out of her house kind of nervous, it was just so weird… she wondered to herself, usually Shikamaru or Chouji would be waiting for her to pick her up before going either on a mission, trip or just training. She sighed before closing the door after saying goodbye to her mother, who looked just like her just a little bit older.

Sin fingered her pockets in a hurry, yeap, kunais, shurikens, a few candies if she saw Chouji check… yep, she didn't need anything else really. They were going to do a bunch of D missions anyway… also she had brought a flower along with her, she smiled, Naruto maybe would find it embarrassing, but it was her way of doing things.

"Forgot anything?" A voice called, she turned on her heels as she gaped at the man in front of her with a little "o" forming on her mouth that made the guy chuckle, and then she smirked at him recovering quickly.

"Missing me already?"

Shikamaru Nara shrugged in her direction, waiting a few meters away, at the very entrance of the house where the garden ended, leaning against the door with his hand on his pockets looking like he could do some sleep.

"Its been a habit for over two years… I just can't quit just now, besides Asuma would allow it." He said matter of fact, when she reached his level they just started walking to the same grounds as yesterday in common silence, after a while Ino gave her the candies she had brought, he started at her.

"Im not Chouji, you sure you slept well?" He asked with a shy smile, Ino nodded in his direction quite annoyed before hitting him on his arm, she decided to have a word or two whit Sakura remembering the past event.

"Yeah, I quite see the deference, genius." She spat the last work but Shikamaru knew she meant well. "Just wanted to treat you something, since you always say I never do anything nice to you"

Shikamaru just shrugged and started eating away the chocolate little pops, just the fact that it came from her made it okay to him to eat candies before even he had breakfast.

"So wanna bet?" He said after a while, Ino looked curious. "About today's team"

Ino had a fire in her eyes.

"You are on!"She said stopping in the middle of the path so suddenly Shikamaru just had to smirk at her. "What are we betting? What im going to win?"

"Always so sure about yourself… woman…"

Ino waited a few seconds before sighing since Shikamaru wasn't going to talk first. "Alright! Me first, _if I_ win –and that's gonna happen and you know that- you have to…." She struggled for a second before her eyes twinkled. Oh no. Shikamaru thought. This was a terribly idea. "You have to wear something _I _choose for a whole day… and you _can't _stay in your room, or hidden… or… use any justu… you… you have to stay with me. The whole day."

She said that as she knew Shikamaru would find a way to avoid the bet… but if he was with her… she would made sure non of it happened, no smartass way to escape it, if she went to the freaking supermarket he would tag along. She congratulated herself on such a plan.

Shikamaru froze for a minute, forcing his brain to work, to find a way… and nothing came, if he had to be with her the whole time there was no way to escape it… sighing he agreed, deciding more than ever to win this.

"Fine… but if I win you have to do something…"

"That being what?"

Shikamaru had already raised his hand to shake hers but she took hers away, glaring in his direction. "What, Shikamaru"

Shikamaru tried not to blush as he waved his hand again for her to take.

"I promise this, It won't be as bad as dressing me up and ridicule me… cause I know it will be" He said when Ino opened her mouth to retort… one second… two… she blinked four times. "See? I just knew that you would back down."

Ino took his hand and shook it before he had even time to put his hand down.

"You are on, Nara."

Shikamaru smirked to his insides, he just knew her so well he felt like he was cheating, but oh hell with it.

Tenten made her way to the training grounds, all genins were there already, along with the only chunning, that being Shikamaru, all of them were scattered around the floor, they had been prohibited to talk to their teams till the three days wore off, she sighed and looked around uncomfortable, she had never been good at friends… Ino and Sakura were talking under a tree, Naruto and Kiba were playing with Akamaru a few meters away from her, Naruto had a flower on his hand-the one, she noticed, that wasn't broken, looks like he had an accident- and was using it to tease Akamaru, but just barely, she didn't know where he got that beautiful flower, but he was taking care of it like his life depended on it. Tenten wanted to be in a team with Naruto, she decided. She turned to the other side. Shikamaru was alone gazing at the clouds… so that's where Chouji got the habit…

After a few seconds she spotted Neji alone leaning against a tree with his eyes closed, the second she stared at him he opened them, startling her even from meters and meters apart, she wanted to walk to him and stopped herself. Neji nodded and gave her a shy smile, then he put his hand up and made a twirl with his index finger. Tenten chuckled. That meant Lee was doing laps… again. They had told them to not talk to his teammates, but they could pretty much do signs, right?

She was about to answer when someone chuckled beside her, startled she looked around, Chouji was munching with a bag of potato ships, somehow Tenten was not surprised anymore.

"Why are you chuckling Tenten-San?" He asked as he offered her some potato ships and Tenten, happy there was someone to talk to, accepted them.

Ino, who was looking for afar, let her jaw open wide. _He never_ did that, not even for her, not even for Shikamaru's for god's sake! She was about to tell Shikamaru when she remembered she couldn't… what a drag.

"What's Sasuke telling her?" Sakura looked amused and Ino got off her reverie blinking around looking for Sasuke.

"I don't see him…"

"He's with Tenten…" Sakura didn't look angry, or sad, she looked amused, like somehow Sasuke had grown a second head. "I didn't know he… you know, _talked _to her… "

"Tenten's not blushing…"Ino pointed out as Sasuke told something that made Tenten role her eyes "and she's actually looking to his face… should learn a thing or two forehead"

"Shut up, Ino Pig."

But non of them meant it, not even in the tone, cause they were too absorbed watching the scene before them… Ino didn't even react to the nickname. Sasuke, Chouji and Tenten were all calmly seating on the floor talking, Sasuke wasn't even scowling… and soon the rest of the genins were casting glances at them… what the hell was just happening?

Naruto really wanted to ask, like really, as he pretended to have a broken arm for the sake of Kiba and Ino beliefs on him being human. He looked at the flower on his hand, yellow, cause Ino said it was the color for injured people, she had even given him a kiss and a hug that Kiba had claimed too, and after a lot of cries she had done the same for him.

Shikamaru was beyond doumbfounded by her actions, she never hugged him… and still she was hugging those two boys… he couldn't get it.

"I thought Sasuke was an idiot" Suddenly Kiba said to him, Naruto nodded coming back to reality, the flower on his good hand.

"I don't know what's wrong with him… but I'll figure it out." Sasuke from afar caught his eye… and Naruto could have swear he had just barely, just barely smiled before glaring at him and returning his attention back to Tenten, who was explaining something with her hands. Naruto froze.

"Did you see that?!"He hissed. "He smiled at me!"

Kiba froze and looked at him, In other time maybe Kiba would have denied it, claim him crazy, or snort, but he just deadpan believe the blond guy as he caressed his arm thinking how much Naruto's would hurt. "Something's wrong with the bastard, hey, everything's fine with your arm?"

Naruto, unable to speak, just nodded and with made a sign with his good hand. This team trade was going bad… _really_ bad, he just hoped he had just imagined Sasuke's smile… and was having a harder time coming to terms with the fact that yes, he was actually having a conversation with Kiba… and been at it ten minutes and none of them had actually said any mean things.

Tsundae was crazy. Really, really crazy.

At that moment, when Shino had just got on his back to watch the clouds with Shikamaru, at this Kiba gasped and actually wanted to run to his teammate with a bunch of question. In that second the senseis arrived as Naruto, trying hard to look like he had a broken arm, took hold of Kiba. The teachers were surprised that the genins had actually followed some instructions for a change. Kakashi and Asuma rose their eyebrows at Shino and Shikamaru, an action Hinata was eager to questionate too, but she was remembered kindly that she couldn't by a thick eyebrows guy, she just nodded reluctantly and kept sparing with Lee.

Everything seemed like a dream for Naruto, a bizarre one alright, but still… and somehow he didn't want it to end as another part with him wanted to run to Kakashi and ask for forgiveness when the next group was decided.

"Tsundae is crazy, im telling you, _crazy_!" Naruto said in panic was he made his slow way out of the grounds, being the first team to be called. "She had lost it."

"You think?!" Shikamaru said out of disbelief. Naruto, for once, was right.

Neji, who was just simply looking ahead, nodded. "Outrageous"

Naruto and Shikamaru locked eyes before they chuckled under their breaths. 'outrageous' was, as least to them, a girl word and that word coming for the most amazing hyuuga just made all way too funny for them to process, but controlled themselves after the cold Hyuuga turned around.

"Gee, relax Neji." Naruto said patting his back with his good hand, almost forgetting he was injured, Neji sighed and kept walking along with the guys, Asuma had told them to go ahead to pick a mission as he waited to see the other teams results, saying he wanted to know which team Ino and Chouji would get, Shikamaru knew better but decided to shut up about it. "It's just a joke, now, why do you think he made a group consisted on three boys?"

The other two looked at the blond.

"Do you think I would know that?" The lavander eyes guy said annoyed at him. "I am not the hokage."

"Thanks Kami, but seriously. Why?"

"I don't know Naruto, maybe she wants to see what would happen? If three of us get together without a girl… troublesome…" Shikamaru didn't want to even imagine a team without Ino, as much as he hated to admitted they were what they were thanks to her. Not that he would ever say that.

"You are the smartest in here, Shikamaru."

"I swear…."

Neji and Shikamaru locked eyes and nodded in common agreement; they started walking to the hogake tower with a Naruto just a step behind, he was complaining non-stop and it was good they were in front, cause he was using a little bit way too much his broken arm. Shikamaru wondered if all the blonds were just the same… as Neji wanted more than anything to see Tenten again, she never complained, at least not as much as normal girls do, and still Naruto was complaining no stop.

"Three guys… let's see, we've got… Sasuke number two" He pointed at Neji. "a lazy bum slash genious, and me—

"So…"Shikamaru said ignoring Naruto Olympicgly . (A/N: its that a word? Not it is, in Spanish at least it exist.) "Neji, how are things doing in the hyuuga compound?"

"—the most important ninja in Konoha, I really don't see where this is going—"

"Fine, thank you. By the way, Shikamaru how was yesterday's…."

"trade, we call It that." Shikamaru said to Neji who just nodded.

"How was the trade with a team with Shino, always wanted to know."

Shikamaru started explaining as Neji added a thing or two by thing on experience as both shared a thing or two about yesterdays teams. Naruto had keep talking to himself and Neji and Shikamaru were too into their conversation to care about him anymore and his chatter.

"I have really no idea where he hides his bugs… and no plan on knowing any time soon." Shikamaru frowned remembering about yesterday and shuddered. Neji did too, at least to the untrained eye of Shikamaru; he didn't know the cold Hyuuga so he couldn't tell.

"Second that."

"I have always wondered that, you know?" Naruto's voice carried in the air. "Maybe they are in his body, in weird parts… hey! Maybe they are in his—"

"NARUTO!" Neji and Shikamaru turned in their heels all red in the face, like they couldn't believe he had just said that, Shikamaru had a clear image on his mind that he was just sure he wasn't going to be able to forget anytime soon, maybe Ino could enter his mind and erase it. Neji was outraged, Tenten or Lee would had never, ever, said that and he wondered how on earth a guy like him could be Tsundae's favorite, he had learned years ago to respect him, even now he did… but at times like this it was just too hard to. Naruto looked at them puzzled for a second before smirking.

"I wasn't going to say the word di—"

"I swear!" Neji said throwing his hands to the air annoyed before hissing. "How can Sasuke put up with you?"

Naruto just laughed at their reactions for a whole minute before finally, after being pushed into himself by Shikamaru and his jutsu he answered, with his good hand on a funny pose as he imited Shikamaru, and good for him, he respected his broken arm and leave it alone. There was nothing more that Naruto hated that being controlled. He wondered how on earth Ino could ever put with him, if Shikamaru and him where in the same team he was more than sure he would come to hate the shadow guy if he used that justu way too many times. Shikamaru, seeing he would stop acting like a weirdo and laugh, decided to let him go and finish his explanation.

"_I _was going to say that maybe he hides them in his jacket? You see it's all big and he _never_ go anywhere without it, even if its hot." Naruto said as he shuddered a little after being released. "I have bet on Sasuke of who can spot him without it first and we still have that bet on going… and it has huge sleeves too, so they could be just lying there, you know? So, yeah…"

Shikamaru and Neji both thought that _that_ was kind of impressive coming from Naruto.

"But if you want to think otherwise, fine!" Naruto said as he walked past them and entered the Hokage tower all smiles, the chunning moved aside not even asking, it was Naruto, the Hokage's favorite anyway, the both stunned intelligent ninjas stared at his back.

"Ya' coming?"He said confused at the door waiting patiently for his teammates, Neji and Shikamaru looked at the blond guy and then locked eyes and then at Naruto again, one sighed and said some famous lines and the other just nodded and joined the blond genin at the door, making their way to see the hokage to retrieve their very interesting D-mission for the day, maybe even two.

"You know, blonds are not stupid…" Neji said in a quiet tone, like he was remembering something before entering the hokage's office.

Shikamaru sighed, remembering a blond girl that he had left behind a few minutes ago in the training ground, remembering a friend he had on Suna and of course, eyeing the Hokage who was talking to Naruto as he complained again about the team, he had always known... Nope, they were everything but stupid, he sighed as he muttered a silent "Welcome to the nightmare…" to Neji.

Neji looked at him amused with a funny smirk on his lips, Shikamaru thought it was his way for laughing when a scroll hit him In the head. Hard. Naruto might be the favorite ninja, alright, but Shikamaru was the favorite chunnin, and Shikamaru had decided that Tsundae tended to demonstrate it on making fun on her two favorites, he looked annoyed at her as she was smirking back.

"I heard that, Nara."

Shikamaru was beyond annoyed but couldn't do much about that she being the Hokage right? Naruto, besides Tsundae, laughed hard hugging his sides pointing at him, Tsundae had a flick on her eyes at seeing like this, Neji was still amused at the whole thing, he didn't know Tsundae very well it seemed, not like these two anyway knew her, cause he would never call Tsundae Obachan, or granny, or old lady, and sure enough she had never trown anything to his head.

Naruto was grabbing the deck with his good hand trying hard to breath.

"Oi, Shikamaru! You should have looked at your—"

A flying scroll, this time Neji snorted as Tsundae nodded approvingly at Shikamaru, he felt better.

"Yeah, you should have looked at yours too, Naruto."

Well how was it? Hope you enjoyed it! Personally I loved Shikamaru's phrase. If you've got any ideas of what teams I should do next, let me know.

-Juliet'lovestory-


	4. Blind

I didn't like this chapter as much as the others, this focused more on just one team, next will be the end of the trade for the day two, with just one more day to go and I have the best teams ever! at least for the final chapter. I was running out of ideas on this one, hopefully the thing between Ino and Shikamaru is starting to change.

Well, thanks for all the reviews and hope you like this one.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, not even one bit.

**-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-**

Ino watched Shikamaru leave and she just COULDNT be happier, really. Sakura by her side eyed her strangely.

"Why are you so happy?" She murmured under her breath cause at that moment Kurenai was eyeing the list Kakashi sensei had brought with the teams for the day. Both jounin looked stunned for the first team, but decided to go along with it. They were reading the list again in silence, totally confused over something. Sakura frowned. This wasn't normal. She had completely forgot about Ino till she spoke again.

"Oh, it's nothing… nothing really." Ino said happily, she had won the bet, Shikamaru had bet on being on a team with Naruto and Tenten… he failed miserably. Not only he was stuck with three boys, but none of them were girls… so far, so good. She had higher chances on winning now. She grinned. Shikamaru on high heels sounded suddenly amazing.

Kurenai shrugged at Kakashi who just sighed in response, Asuma, who was now confused too looker over Kurenai's shoulder, the three of them looked rather uncomfortable with how the teams where developing, but hokage's orders were hokage's orders… finally Asuma took the lead.

"Alright...! next team."

**-.-.-.-.-.-.-**

"This is going crazier at the minute, I swear!" Ino spat to her now two teammates, who just nodded, totally confused.

"Don't say it, Neji and Naruto on the same team?! And now us?" Tenten wondered out loud, she looked to her side, just to find Hyugga Hinata shrug at her.

"I- I don't know… three boys… and now three girls?"

Ino was furious, she had bet on Sasuke and Neji! And both of them were took away from her, and instead she was given two girls, not that she minded but they weren't friends, for a moment she wanted to go back and trade them for Sakura... Yeah, right, they would fight all the time, but they were best friends! She didn't know Tenten at all, just crossed some words from time to time, and Hinata was so shy Ino wondered how she was still alive, after all the ninja world was a difficult one, and Ino wondered how, Hinata being so kind, such a lovely soul was still breathing.

Tenten was looking rather interested in throwing and catching a kunai, barely even watching where she was going, every time she did that Ino wanted to yell for her, afraid she would cut herself, but she didn't. After a few minutes she decided to just keep fuming over her luck, and Hinata… Hinata was carrying her head low almost afraid of looking up. She was so out of her element here.

No. Hinata, the beautiful lavender eyes girl say to herself. No. What had lee told her before?

Yesterday training with him and Neji had been a wonderful experience. He had said something about being brave, and how much good she was at close combat, and how beautiful she was when she let her power of youth shine. She sighed a little at that and giggled. He was right about something at least, just because Shino and Kiba weren't there anymore that didn't mean she was going to have a bad time… she eyed Ino… so sure about herself, even as she walked hastily to the hokage tower rather mad about something, on the other hand Tenten seemed fine… not shining bright like Ino, but still nice, there was something warm about her, when she caught her eye Tenten smiled at her and Hinata, for once, smiled back.

"So… what mission should we take?" Kakashi asked the girls, he was just a step behind, all the three of them jumped in the air. Tenten cringed, it was always obvious when Gai sensei would appear. Does he snicks on team seven all the time? Tenten wondered.

Kakashi laughed, he was so used to do this to his team now that he had forgot how for the first months doing that to them scared the soul of their bodies, even Sasuke's, doing that to the girls was… to put it simply, a little bit mischievous. Eventually team seven had grown kind of fond on that habit, always trying to either win him at it or not shudder. So far they were still trying.

"Not another rooftop, please…" Ino kind of smiled as they entered Tsundae's office… that right at the moment had a Neji, Naruto and Shikamaru just leaving for their mission.

Ino beamed for a second before sulking, she had lost the bet too… Shikamaru saw this and chuckled under his breath.

"What's up Ino?" Naruto happily greeted her, Ino nodded in his direction, happy to see the flower still on his hand, at least it was still alive.

"Nice to see you are not hurting quite as much!" Ino smiled fondly and Naruto blushed a little. One, as much as Sakura said Ino was annoying and how much Shikamaru complained about her being troublesome, he found her quite… nice. He had never before got a flower. Second, he had totally forgotten by now- really, just a few hours and he had already forgot- that he was supposed to be cradling a broken arm.

"Yeah… yeah…"

Tenten and Neji were already talking too, Tenten was happy to see him and even more because she was finally able to say something she had wanted to tell both his teammates since yesterday, but right now, Neji will suffice.

"Neji…" she whispered to him, he patiently waited for her to regain her control, she looked like she wanted to jump over him and hug him. He liked her, probably she was the only girl_ ever_ he would allow to be this close to him, they were teammates, but he wanted to keep it cool. So no hugs. He just hoped that after four years she would not suddenly become a Sakura. "Yesterday… I almost defeated Sasuke!" Neji raised both his eyebrows. "Of course, it wasn't the big deal, he might gone a little bit easy on me." He hadn't. "Besides I am a girl and everything…" But he had even thrown a ball of fire at her, he had done it at least twice. "It was very quick, he didn't use his sharingan, but I swear… I swear…" Suddenly with every word the excitement died, Neji wondered why? She was a great kunoichi, she knew that, he had never told her, true, but she of course knew! So finding out she had almost defeated Sasuke was indeed no huge news.

"That's great, Tenten." Neji tried out, Tenten looked at his eyes for a second before letting all the air in her lungs go and nodded to the floor, she hadn't even finished her story.

"Yeah…"

"Alright, guys, lets go." Neji said after nodding to Tenten, who just waved him away, and Hinata, who nodded back. Neji wondered why Tenten looked so down, but had to time at the moment.

"After today's trade your father wants to see you later on, want to spar after that?" Neji said to her in an even voice, Hinata smiled a little and then he was off, Shikamaru put his hand on his forehead, like saying bye to a sailor and lazily said goodbye to Ino, she chuckled.

"Im glad you still remember who's the leader here" She watched his back, she wanted so bad to go after him and couldn't, finally Naruto was about to leave after saying bye to Ino, that's when Hinata opened her mouth… and nothing came. Ino's eyes twinkled at seeing that, as Hinata fidgeted with her jacket.

"Oi! Naruto!" Ino called for him, his head popped on the door a second later, Ino looked at Hinata. Who was happy just seeing the blond boy for a few seconds more, Ino, for an unkown reason turned to see Tenten, who was staring at Hinata in wonder.

"Hinata was saying something to you." Tenten was the first to talk, Ino raised her eyebrows at her, she had just stolen her words! and Tenten just shrugged and mouthed 'I just love them'.

Ino hard a really hard time not to laugh at this, she didn't know Tenten wanted Naruto to be with the hyuuga as much as her. Hinata looked like she wanted the earth to open and have her, she didn't really wouldn't mind right now… his eyes, blue like the ocean or the prettiest sky, his body… she just really wished he would wear less that orange jacket, not that she would ever, ever say that out loud… and the way his hair flicked… and that face of his, so confused and looking at her… Oh Kami. Looking at her. She blushed a little, embarrassed as he came in front of her.

"Sorry, Hinata-chan, didn't hear you, what is it?" Naruto asked her with a smile that Ino knew would melt Hinata to the floor. Tenten chuckled a little, Hinata was probably the most obvious girl on planet… and still all Naruto could see… was, well, nothing. Tenten decided that if she got on his team tomorrow she would definitely take things into her hands.

"I- I- I just…" Be brave… be brave as Lee told you yesterday! Just go with with. "Naruto I-"

Silence, even the hokage, who was until now checking the next missions to offer and having fun with the teenagers talking among themselves was now trying intently and everything to not miss a thing. No one moved. Ino and Tenten shared a look. This was it. Hinata was about to say something to Naruto… maybe even a date. They both nodded.

"Yes?" Naruto said suddenly shy, his blue eyes darted around the room, noticing how the girls and the hokage were immersed on other things- at least that's how it looked like- to fall on the lavender ones… now that he was looking closely…

"I… I I just wanted… to say…" Hinata stammered on her words, it was such a simple line! She scolded herself; she just wanted to tell him to take care of his arm! That she wanted him to be okay and that she wished him a fast recovering! What that so hard?! Really Hinata just wanted to hit herself way too many times around Naruto. Kiba would have laugh about it and say to _him_ what _she_ meant. Kiba knew her better than anybody, but right now no Kiba to guess her feelings, no Shino to say something smart and get her out of it. Hinata missed her teammates greatly right now. She could use some friendship.

Ino could feel something in her stomach twitch at the sight and suddenly she wanted to be Hinata… and she wanted Naruto to be… wait. She opened her eyes wide. _Wait_. Don't go down there, Yamanaka! She scolded herself. Why him?!

"Hinata…." Naruto leaned even closer, I swear Tenten gasped a little. This couldn't be happening! Even Tsundae looked like she wanted nothing more but record this moment. They weren't expecting this! Tsundae was so proud! Finally!

Just kiss damn it! Every girl on the room were done with faking -and failing- at trying not to look interested.

"Hey, what on earth is taking you so long?!" Shikamaru's head popped on the door, glaring at the blond male.

"There!" Naruto said looking triumphant; he had leaned on Hinata… so he could take away a leaf stuck in Hinata's hair, probably from sparring with Lee in the morning. Hinata fainted… and fell directly to the floor with a thud.

Ino smacked his old teammate hard on the head. She was so mad about this! First because Shikamaru interrupted… well, nothing. The blond guy was really, really thick, but that didn't matter! And for some reason she was blushing when Shikamaru tried to get away, why was he such?! Such an idiot?!

"Oi! Woman! Get a hold of yourself!"

"You, idiot, how dare you?" Ino smacked him with every word… why? Why was she so mad? Why….?

"I swear Shikamaru you've got the worst timing ever! Like ever on the history of the planet"

"Oh really? Well, you are crazy! Cause I haven't done anything and you-" He spat to Naruto, who was really truly confused and stood frozen on his spot, he just pointed at Hinata with his good arm, like saying 'Dude, she fainted, I have no idea why and no idea of what to do' Shikamaru was angry, Ino could tell, and that left her feeling… with something she didn't want to acknowledge yet. "You keep moving, we have a freaking cat to catch, Asuma is already on the front doors."

Ino threw daggers at her teammate. "Oh, Shikamaru! Stop yelling at Naruto! Kiba was right, serious guys are the loudest at times…" She tried to joke but that just back fired at her.

"You don't talk to me… not right now." He spat to Ino. Ino froze on her spot, he never talked to her in… that tone, like she was the last thing on earth he wanted to see. Something inside her snapped, broke… before regaining herself.

"Shikamaru, c'mon! I didn't mean to hit you that hard." She scoffed and smirked at him. "Good thing I don't have to see your face till at least two days from now."

Shikamaru looked at her in a way she had never seen, alright, what's up with him?! Ino was worried now, her façade faded away as she took a step towards him. What on hell had just happened to him?

"Oh really? Go ahead then! Trade teams, whatever, if you want it, why don't you do it?" Shikamaru was starting to lose his temper and fidgeting with his hands he put them inside his pants.

"Shikamaru…" Tsundae was lost at this, one second he was all happy before leaving, and five minutes later he comes trying to take his anger on someone. Anger that she had no idea where it had come from.

"Get Kiba on your good side then, Hinata here may help as long as the idiot who made her faint its not around so often." Naruto mumbled something, Neji, who had reappeared at the door, looked dumbfounded as Tenten was saving a Hinata from the floor, Shikamaru sighed. Tenten and Ino were fast, not fast enough to know when Hinata would suddenly decide on fainting, but Shino and Kiba had this sixth sense that told them whenever Hinata would faint seconds before Naruto's doing.

"I have no idea of what I did." Naruto said matter of fact as he helped Tenten putting a fainted Hinata on a chair. Trying to advert the anger to him instead of Ino. He suddenly felt guilty at seeing her face.

"Are you even serious Naruto?! Gee everybody is so blind in here!"

"May I ask what's gotten into you?!" Ino said now mad, fine, she wasn't supposed to talk to him, but this is was it, he was acting so out of himself! Yelling at everybody! Her included!

Shikamaru glared at her, it was not his usual glare… something was wrong, very wrong, and Ino for once kept her mouth shut, afraid of pulling another string on Shikamaru.

"Shikamaru Nara!" Tsundae looked rather mad right now, both her hands on her desk. Enough was enough. Even Ino was afraid, he glared at her one last time before hastily looking away and motioning to Neji and Naruto to follow him. None of the girls said a thing.

Ino went and aimed for his arm but before she got the chance he just took his arm away and walked with a Naruto trailing behind.

"Take care of her…" Naruto said to a confused crowd and left, after eyeing Shikamaru's back and reluctantly followed, closing the door on his back.

**-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.**

"I can't believe you lost it, it is cat you know?" Shikamaru said flatly to his blond friend who was on the floor, no feeling of getting up, it was cat! A cat and Naruto was frustrated over the fact that its been two hours and they couldn't catch it! All because he had to fake the whole time he had a broken arm. This wasn't helping the team, but they hadn't complained at least. The new team was taking turns into catching the cat and so far they were succeeding.

"Exactly! What does cats do better? Run and hide!" The blond tried to defend himself as he scoffed, Neji sighed. "Besides I have a _broken_ arm, smartass!"

"He just turned on the corner." Neji said seeing something the other two couldn't, as he was using his byakugan, totally ignoring the rant of the blond genin, as always. "Lets' go before we lose him— again."

He held his hand to help the blond get up, which he took and they started to run after it. Again. Neji was frustrated over the whole thing, usually on his team Lee would run around konoha till he spotted it, then Neji would use his ability and therefore not lose it after that, keeping track over him, and then when they finally were near and cornered the cat, Tenten will talk to him gently, and the cat would go willingly to her arms, thanks to Tenten kind soul and much for the relief of both her male teammates.

On team seven, it was quite another story, usually the three of them would run after it, to then Sasuke use his sharingan to know exactly what the cat was about to do, he will tell Sakura all this and Sakura will catch it in her arms thanks to the foreknown knowledge- ending on a scratched Sakura, but still- after a few minutes the cat would stop fidgeting on her arms and Bam! Problem solved and cat delivered. Good to know Sakura could heal herself.

On Team ten it was quite another story, Shikamaru hated to waste time, so instead they looked around for the cat, that could take hours to minutes, who knows? Troublesome cat, then Ino would talk gently to him, the cat would come near, but never into her arms. Shikamaru kind of knew why, she was a total monster when she wanted to be! Then Chouji would feed him with something and right when he was under their shadows! Voila! Shikamaru's jutsu would caught him, Ino would carry him the rest of the way, and usually the cat would give in into her arms, and pacefully would be retrieved.

This time Shikamaru wasn't on the mood anymore, he wanted to make both his teammates suffer a little for reasons he did not know, he was mad at Naruto because Ino had hugged him. Him. Instead of her forever by her side friend. Honestly, after all it had been Naruto who had told him those fatefulwords… she had a date…a date. With Kiba nonetheless. That's where she got the idea. He thought bitterly. She wants a dog just so she can have more things to talk to him.

And well Neji, Shikamaru had always thought that besides the difficulties in his family he had it easy and that's why he was an ass from time to time, so watching a Neji run around konoha was a funny sight.

Right now it was his moment to catch it…something snapped, the cat got the call and he lost it, he just grabbed his tail before he scratched his hand and ran away, Shikamaru wanted to yell to the world. Nothing was working for him today. Neji just scoffed at both of them as none of them made a movement to keep runing and run after it alone.

"Care to explain what happened?" Naruto asked a few minutes later.

"It just happened that when I was about to jump on the cat you snapped a stick." Shikamaru said getting on his feet after trying and failing on catching the good for nothing cat, it was kind of a tradition now. Miss Kuramire will lose her cat every once in a while and Shikamaru would bet all his money that she did it for fun, just to see (and he was mostly certain) every genin chase the town around it.

"Not that…" Naruto said after apologizing for the broken stick, he had been so into his thoughts that he totally forgot about being cautious. "With the hokage, you… you snapped."

Naruto didn't know how to phrase it kindly, so he just said it bluntly.

"It was about Ino, isn't? The whole thing she's having a date with Kiba." Naruto stated, when they had left Hokage Towers a few hours before this, Shikamaru had asked Naruto how his day in the trade the day before went, wanting to know a little bit more about Ino's day, and the first thing that popped into the blond genin mind was 'The most weird thing happened! Ino has a date, with Kiba, she said he was hot and he somehow heard it- something about being part dog, I don't know- and she said yes!"

That's when the girls had interrupted in and Shikamaru was just too stunned to react, 'Ino on a date? With Kiba?!' however, when they had left and Naruto was called back he was angry, beyond angry and he didn't want to acknowledge why just yet. So when he went to look for Naruto and what on earth was taking him so long he wanted to kill the boy, and it didn't help when Ino hit him in the head for something he didn't even do!

Shikamaru was starting to get angrier again.

"It has nothing to do with this." He sighed and stuffed his hands in his pants.

"Oh, I believe Ino has everything to do with you." Naruto grinned at him knowingly, Shikamaru wanted to hit him. "I think you are jealous!"

And Naruto didn't shut up about it for minutes, finally Shikamaru have had enough.

"Can you please shut up?! I swear! _All _blonds are this troublesome?! Or just the ones _I _get to know!" He asked to no one as he plopped on the floor under a tree.

Naruto gave him a wicked grin before laughing a bit. "Oh c'mon! Just say you like her! Its not like you don't stand a chance, ya know?"

Shikamaru blushed a little bit before refusing said fact.

"Look, I was just a little… well it is strange, I had been best friends with her since forever, how do you…" Shikamaru stopped mid-sentence before looking annoyed at his friend, Naruto was listening intently and Shikamaru just shrugged him off, this wasn't Chouji. "Just forget it Naruto, you are blind about Hinata, you won't understand a thing… now c'mon let's take a look at the clouds, since Neji might take a while to catch the cat"

That left Naruto standing alone as Shikamaru lay on his back, trying to come with terms with what had just happened and with what had just been said. Naruto silently sat beside him, he was actually beginning to relax when Naruto asked in a little voice.

"What about Hinata?"

Shikamaru sighed, this was just so nooot what he wanted to talk about.

"Naruto."

"hm?"

"Just shut up."

Naruto scoffed and looked to the other side, then he grinned, at least he had managed one thing: get Shikamaru jealous, he was so blind Naruto found it funny, of course he liked Ino! He had good reason too. Naruto wanted to run and find Kiba to inform him their plan was working, but he managed to shut up and stay still, as the shadow ninja kindly had put it, and just wandered off in his mind, thinking about Hinata and what on earth the guys wanted from him about her.

He suddenly looked alarmed… maybe… maybe she…he blushed and shook his head, of course not, how a girl like her would ever want him? He sighed and finally lay on his back, maybe she just wanted to spare with him or something, he would ask Lee later, right now he focused on doing nothing as he waited for the Hyuuga to retreat- hopefully- the so good damned cat.

"Shikamaru?"

"…"

"Are you ignoring me?"

"I swear you spend way too much time with Sakura." Shikamaru even chuckled before eyeing his friend then sighed after seeing his face. "You really like her, isn't it?"

Naruto looked ahead of him, very calm actually, and Shikamaru was shocked at his all grown up reaction, before he stated. "No, I don't, I used to… but… "

His voice died and Shikamaru could hear his words on his head, almost reluctantly, while he looked the other way he said. "You deserve better than that Naruto, yeah, she might be a good friend, but after seeing how she treats you, actually everybody… just forget it man." Shikamaru said as he remembered how Sakura had been with him yesterday.

Naruto sighed. "Sometimes I wanna hug her and then I just wanna hit her, I swear…"

Shikamaru laughed out loud as he patted his back. "I want to hit Ino too so no worries there."

In that moment Neji came, looking red on the face but with a cat on his arms that refused to stay still, Naruto got to his feet and shouted as he made a weird dance, Neji turned his head in all directions, he didn't want to be seen him like this, then he just chuckled as Naruto kept screaming and dancing hula hula, he guessed if Naruto weren't… well, Naruto he wouldn't be friends with him. Naruto could belong on Gai's team, totally.

"You rock Neji! Well done!" Naruto said as he run to meet him, Neji smiled to him and then winced.

"It won't stay still, I swear!" Neji wanted Tenten to appear suddenly around the corner. Naruto eyed the Hyuuga, that still had his byakugan on.

"Just punch him. You know…" He said after receiving the glare from the boy. "The energy dots, since he's a cat he doesn't have chakra but, you get it, just make him fall asleep or something."

Neji sometimes thought Naruto didn't have enough credit, Neji nodded and for the first time he complimented the boy.

"Sometimes you are smarter than you look." Well close enough for a compliment and Naruto grinned, Neji did as told and the cat fell limp on his hands, he sighed in relief. "Done"

Naruto stretched. "Running around Konoha left me tired, damn cat." He laughed as he scratched the cats head, Neji just shrugged.

"Could been worse, at least we are done." Neji wanted to get rid of the cat right away, it was always Tenten who carried it, and he could bet his money that this happened on every team… but being three guys and Naruto with a broken arm… well, a ninja had to do what a ninja had to do. "Naruto, about Hinata, just ask her to spar with you sometime in a while, she had always wanted that."

Naruto blined once… twice… and then put his hand on Neji's forehead.

"You alright? Did the sun hit you hard or something?" He was truly concerned, cause the Hyuuga boy never showed interest in his conversations after leaving the tower, Neji wanted to hit him, really he would have done that if he weren't holding the fat cat.

"Get away from me. And I do listen to you, Dumbass." Neji said to him and Naruto grinned again, yeap, back to normal.

"Alright, will do next time I see her." Naruto promised to the annoyed Hyuuga, really? Naruto was this blind? Neji turned to the sleepy guy on the floor.

"Well at least one is stupid" Neji scoffed to himself as he remembered what Shikamaru had told him before entering the hokage place, about blonds. He looked around, where on earth was Asuma? Now that he think about it… he had left with Kurenai sometime ago… perfect..

"C'mon guys" A Silent Shikamaru said to them from the floor, as he stared at the sky. "Gonna show a trick to relax, you can use it on Sakura or Lee, see if it works, while Asuma sensei comes to pick us up."

Naruto happily complied and Neji followed suit, as long as it weren't naps… but he thought giving it a shot, though he truly didn't believe anything, and he meant anything, could calm the green genin. The days passed and everyday he started to miss more and more his team, Neji noted and that alarmed him, instead he reminded cool, he didn't mind spending time with these two. He had learn today two new strategies thanks to Shikamaru and he had learn… well nothing about Naruto, but Neji just couldn't feel anything but respect from him, he was sure he was going to become Hokage, and he wanted to be there to see the day.

Naruto was never been happier, yeah he missed his team, but it was so good to know that he was actually making friends with the others too, maybe, just maybe, he would use cloud watching on Sakura and Sasuke, see if for at least one day they will not shout at him.

And Shikamaru? He was just thinking and thinking about blond people and that he needed a great apology for tonight if he wanted to keep living.

**-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-**

I know, it sucked right? Next chapter will compensate for this one, I promise, I guess It has to do with the fact of being all girls teams or boys teams, not having them mixed its not fun at all! There's no teasing! Anyway, I tried to write the chapter twice to see if some other ideas might pop out, they did but I got tired of finding another way around it, but really my mind closed and everything looked mostly the same, resulting this. So i give up!

Well R&R if you like it… or don't!

GEE new year is around the corner! Cant wait!

-Juliet'lovestory-


	5. Unexpected

Hello everyone! Well lest go and see the rest of second day trade, shall we, but the way this ended we still have one chapter to go! Yeap, Shikamaru is starting to get jealous and Ino starting to accept the fact she likes him. I think Naruto and Kiba are doing a great job at it, lets see how it turns out. I wanted to end this fic in the third day, but the way I see it will have two or three more chapters. Lets just pray for Naruto and Hinata to see some light.

This chapter was a loooooooooong one, and I mean long, I decided to divide it on two chapters, instead of posting a long one, on the bright side I have almost three chapters done, but don't worry next chapter its being written already! I just love to write, sorry.

Anyway! Thanks for the reviews! Really! And this time I felt like thanking you guys.

Thanks to** loretta537,** I agree they should stay on trade for longer than three days!., **XxShadowfangxX**, who had reviewed every chapter! **KyaKayToneRouko, pheonixfire0**0 , for the detailed review about chapter two, it really made my whole week, thanks thanks thanks,** tatyanac17,** **sumtyms**, thanks for for the love for inoshika, I love them too, to no end!.** Shikainoisthebest** your user name says it all, and finally, **sparrowhawk13,** glad to know that it jumped from 'like' to "love" in 3 chapters!, and for the Guest and Anons too.

Well that's it, thank you guys! Here it is! And merry Christmas and happy new year! (I had wrote this part on like… December 29 for the record)

Disclaimer: I don't own nothing, not a single thing, even if it asked for it on Christmas!

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

A thud.

_Damn that Shikamaru, damn him and his moods, one seconds he's all smiles and the next he snaps at me?! How dare he?_

Ino was fuming, another thud, another part of the fence made, stick by stick nailing it to the ground, she took another one, put it next to the one and hit it, hard. _Freaking idiot_! With another one it got stuck on the ground, each thought converted into a magnificent punch, so the task of doing the fence was going rather quickly.

_Really, he interrupted the best moment in Hinata's life_! Alright, maybe she was exaggerating but still… and then, then he snaps at her over something she didn't even think of! _Changing teams?!_

Thud. _Changing_. Thud. _Teams?!_ Another piece of wood.

Changing teams! Like she could dream of a world where she didn't belong with him and…

Belong? Where on earth that word had come from? She_ was_ in a team with Shikamaru and Chouji, the word belong sounded—too... too strong for her. Belong. Did she? Did she _belong _with them? Anyway! In every case she didn't want to leave them, yes, she would have jumped at the opportunity two years ago, when the teams were made, but now she couldn't picture a life without the three of them, Asuma sensei included. So… so what? Ah right! Changing teams?! Pair with Kiba and be best friends with Hinata?! CHANGE TEAMS?!

Thud thud thud thud!

"You. Are. Such. An. Idiot!" Ino screamed.

Tenten and Hinata who were on her left side and were painting the sticks Ino was nailing to the ground shared a look, worried sick about their friend, who was at the very moment sticking the wood in the wrong places and the fence, that was coming neatly, was now looking like a wood snake around the huge house they were working with.

"She has lost it." Tenten declared. "I knew she was crazy."

Hinata feared for the extra job they would have to do, unstuck the boards and start again, she looked at Ino frightened.

"I think… I-I think we should stop her."

They both looked at Ino who was ragging and saying things they couldn't understand, even if their lives depended on it. They again shared a look, Tenten sighed in defeat.

"I'll handle her…" Tenten rolled her eyes with a little smile on her pretty face, knowing the shy girl will do next to nothing to stop Ino, first because Ino would refuse to listen, and secondly because Hinata looked amused at the whole thing. Tenten walked to blonde grils, now very far gone sticking wood on the earth like her life depended on it, she saw her chance a few steps away from her.

_And above it all he always calls me troublesome! I should really change teams! Maybe trade myself for Sakura, see if he can survive a day with her! Ha! Would love to see him trying! That little—_

Suddenly the breeze felt really cold as water poured down on her, she stopped mid air with the hammer she was working with in her hands, she blinked twice and let all her angry at Shikamaru go, she just stood there, dripping wet, as the suddenly rush of water washed over her she forgot about Shikamaru and her anger at him for a moment…. She breathed once… twice and then… why was she dripping wet?! She turned, angry mood on again.

"What on _earth _do you think you are—" She couldn't say what on earth she was doing cause at the moment Tenten was very busy splashing Ino, laughing all the whole, a hosepipe on a hand, and the other one on her hip, her head tilt to one side and smirking, almost waiting for Ino to start again. Ino was glaring at her, she dropped the hammer to the ground and took one step.

"Im going to kill you! And then—"

Splash.

"And when Im done with you I'll—"

Splash.

"I hope you have done something worth to write on your tomb!"

This time no splash for Ino, as Tenten was laughing now, Ino crossed her arms, now really soaked from head to toe, she shivered at the wind but other than that did not react to Tenten's laugh, still holding the pipe with dear life in case Ino decided to end her life. She looked even more furious than before and that only increased when she heard Hinata giggling not stop next to her, but she just continued on turning her head and crossing her arms, throwing daggers at the brunette.

Finally Hinata regained herself first and walked to Ino with a towel on hand_. Seriously,_ Ino thought, _does she has a magic backpack where she carries her entire house? _A few years later she would have refused the towel, she being so proud, she being the perfect Ino that never ever needed help. She eyed the towel and finally she sighed and accepted it with a scoff and wrapped her hair in it, then glanced at Tenten who was trying hard to keep a straight face and failing at it.

"Now that you both seem ready to talk, can you please explain why are you trying to get me killed?"

Tenten scoffed at her, still not moving from her spot with the pipe.

"You know, just stopping you from reaching the Hokage Tower with a deformed fence."

Ino blinked twice, she looked around in disbelief. She opened her mouth wide at what she was seeing, from afar the fence looked neatly, half of it already painted white, then, suddenly it started to crumble and deform and finally the sticks were placed like if a snake was being made of wood, some of them were even put at random places, she winced.

"Im sorry" She said after two wholes minutes, was she that immersed on her thoughts that she had made all this mess? Suddenly the grudge against her teammates was forgotten, she smiled sheepishly to both of them. "I can't believe I did this."

Hinata just smiled kindly and Tenten finally let go of her massive good weapon, now that she was safe within range of the blond girl she felt like stepping a little closer.

"It's alright, you were mad and you took your anger, on well—the fence." Tenten looked at the deformed fence and then at Ino, she sighed just thinking in the amount of work ahead. "It's alright"

Ino wasn't so sure if it was alright, but nodded.

"Let's start by pulling them off and start again…" Hinata said eyeing the mess and then walked to the point where hell had broke loose and marked it with a white paint. "Here, all the boards from this point to the right."

Ino and Tenten nodded, Ino made most of the work, or at least she was trying to make the others works less, since it had been after all her fault. Tenten was impressed, from what she had seen and heard Ino was very stubborn, and she doubted Ino would have wanted to even help, or say sorry for that matter, but she had not only apologized, but helped them both without even questioning them, Tenten respect her for that at least, as much as monster she could be at times, she was responsible.

"There! Last board!" Ino said pulling the last of the misplaced sticks off the ground, from what it looked like they only had two or three hours more of light. "Sorry, we could have finished today if it hasn't been for me."

"Don't worry, it's alright" Hinata said smiling to her. "But I believe we should eat something… we haven't eat."

Tenten and Ino blinked, she was right, and now that she mentioned it… she was hungry. Hinata walked to her backpack.

"Sorry about… well, that…" Tenten said eyeing the blond who was just starting to get dry and Ino just shrugged, she hanged the now damp little towel on the fence they were making.

"It was a hot day."

They both giggled and then their eyes twinkled. "I didn't know you wanted those two to end up together!"

Ino sat on the ground and Tenten followed suit. "Are you kidding?! Neji is always complaining about how Hinata is so in love with Naruto that it actually frustrates him! He used to tease her, now he had completely lost it, just hearing his name makes Hinata blush, I swear Naruto its just too slow."

Ino chuckled. "They are just so cute."

"I know!"

"And besides, I think Naruto would do her some good…"

Hinata was making her way back slowly and Tenten just shrugged. "I just hope Naruto will see light soon enough, if tomorrow I end up in a team with him, I'll make sure something happens."

Ino gave her a look.

"Didn't know you were such…" She wanted to say such a girl! To her eyes, Tenten had always been kind of a tomboy, but thanks kami she changed her words on time, didn't want to hurt her new friend. "Such a good teammate."

Tenten chuckled. "Yeah, well, same goes for you."

Hinata arrived with backpack on her hand, she opened it and handed them a few sandwiches and apple juice along with three cups, Ino decided to give it a try.

"Hey, Hinata, I bet Chouji would be completely happy with you around! Having this much food on your backpack all the time!" Ino took one sandwich as Tenten served the juice. "Even Naruto. Yesterday I worked with him and boy, he eats!"

Hinata blushed but other than that said nothing. Tenten sighed and drained her apple juice in a gulp, she eyed strangely the cup and then just shrugged as she got more along with a sandwich, she was thirsty, they were silent for a long time before…

"Lets play something, shall we?" Ino said out of the blue, Tenten sighed and Hinata raised her brows. Hinata was just eating her sandwich in peace, she thought was it wrong to have some peace? At least at lunch Kiba and Shino would get so immersed on their thought they would give them a break. She remembered the little play—bet Kiba had called on the two of them.

She chuckled a little and decided to not brake her vow to both their teammates and drink water instead, she could beat Shino and Kiba were doing it too. 'It would make us better and stronger' or so Kiba had said before parting ways on the first day of the trade.

He said if they three could only drink water before seeing each other again will serve as a way to prove their honesty and loyalty, besides it couldn't hurt to their health. Hinata has seriously worried about how Kiba could find just drinking water for three days a way to make the team stronger, but somehow right now she caught on it, she felt guilty just watching her cup filled with juice, she could always lie… and again she felt guilty, she wouldn't do that. Even if it was over just water. She imagined the other two drinking water and she chuckled, she could bet he had done it to prove who could lie too. She wondered if she would be able and capable enough to discover them if they had done so.

Sometimes people didn't give Kiba enough credit.

"Play?" Hinata looked around, as she took from her backpack a bottle full of water and gave her juice to Tenten who gladly drank it all. Hinata looked around searching for a park nearby or a reason why the blond was asking this. Usually all the ideas that Kiba said where because he was watching something. She sipped her water with a shy smile. "What do you want to d-do?"

"Not in the mood, been standing under the sun all day!" Tenten said looking tired to Ino, she chuckled.

"We don't even have to move, Shikamaru and I invented it on a trip where we just had to ask question, you know? They don't even have to make sense and you don't have to answer."

"Then what's the point?" Hinata asked totally confused.

"The first to answer a question or can't think of a proper one, loses." Ino shrugged. "The point is to never stop asking and look at the other people's eyes to know who you are asking, easy and trust me, it's pretty fun."

Tenten sighed as she grabbed another sandwich and looked at Hinata who shrugged.

"Should we play, Hinata?"

Hinata was about to answer when she blinked twice and smiled, a huge smile on her face actually, Ino stared confused.

"Why don't you ask Ino?"

"Why are you staring?" Tenten asked Ino, Ino was about to answer when she smirked, they almost got her, almost.

"Why do you always have food on your backpack?" She said to Hinata.

"Well because I think it's important to be p-preared…?" Hinata said to Neji's partner and all of them laughed at how Hinata had tried very hard to make her answer a question. And so the game began again, eating and laughing all the while, they lost and started a third round. After a few minutes they all got very good at it, just asking and asking and the games lasting longer and longer.

"Do you think I'm a good ninja?"

"Why do you always wear purple?"

"Have you ever been on a date?"

Tenten lost as she got all red. "I…I-I Have never?" But Hinata and Ino marked it as a wrong answer and stared again, Ino smiled smugly, she wanted to believe Tenten have had or at least in a future something with Neji, they seemed right to her. Shikamaru crossed her mind again, she wouldn't think of him.

She sighed a bit before returning to the game, her teammate never leaving her mind, she had to make sometime for her alone before they got to go home… she needed to think in peace about what had happened today…and if she even wanted to know, the way he had said Kiba's name made her wonder if he had somehow found out about her date… a thought crossed her mind and she quickly shrugged it off as she said:

"Why are your eyes white?"

"If you could change places with me for a day would you do it?"

"Do you like sandwiches?"

"Do you like blondes?"

"Why do you like Naruto so much?"

Ino fired to Hinata and the girl just looked dumbfounded before turning crimson red on the face, she tried really hard to keep playing as she fumbled with her sleeves.

"Why… I-I…." She looked to her lap embarrassed and then looked up sheepishly.

Tenten and Ino laughed.

"Gotcha!"

They were silent for a few seconds then Tenten looked around and sighed in defeat, she was sweating though it wasn't that hot now Ino noticed. "We should start again and work for a few more hours… then we can call it a day."

The other two agreed, Tenten stood up and moved to the house were Kakashi had been all day long, since the person they were working with was and old acquaintance of him, he had left them to work while he had caught up with him.

Hinata was packing her bag when Ino decided to say something to the girl, who still looked a little bit red on the face.

"Can I say something, Hinata?" Ino said after hesitating for a second but she continued. "Don't give up on Naruto, I know he's thick, I think the whole village knows he's a little bit thick and slow and sometimes he acts like an idiot but—"

"He's not." Hinata said in a low voice, Ino raised a brow.

"What?"

"He's not an idiot..."Hinata looked at Ino, she wasn't angry, she just was amused and Ino smiled.

"I never said that, I just say that sometimes he acts like it, besides what I wanted to tell you was that he will notice you, trust me, and when he does he would never be able to get you out of his head."

Hinata turned so red Ino had a hard time not laughing, not wanting to make the girl more uncomfortable.

"W-Why—I-I, how can you say… It's not p-proper…"

"Trust me, I got a feeling that the two of you will eventually end up together."

Hinata refused to see her face but nodded slowly.

"Trust me." She repeated. "Tenten thinks so too, you just wait till he's head over hill over you."

Hinata met her eyes. "You think?"

"We know." Ino chuckled, the whole rookie nine knew… just Naruto was at lost here.

"I-I can hope"

"That you can!" Ino smiled broadly. "Besides I believe the combination of the two of you would do Konoha good." She said thinking how they complemented each other, she looked at the sky and stared at the clouds and smiled for a second, then she frowned, confusion in her deep blue eyes, she was supposed to do this… cloud watching with someone else, she remembered Shikamaru and sighed, why was he angry? She did not know, but she intended to find out later that night. She decided. She would ask him and face whatever he had to say to her. If he wanted to walk away so fine, but at least she was concerned!

"What do you mean doing Konoha a g-good?"

Ino smiled and stood up as she saw Tenten coming back from the house looking little from afar, she was running with all her might to catch them, waving her arms, Hinata waited for her answer. Ino sighed, feeling tired all of a sudden, pressing her hand to her forehead trying to get rid of the sweat.

"Well, it's good to know you'll be there for Naruto and put him in place as a good wife if becoming Hokage gets to his head."

If Hinata had something to say Ino never heard it cause she was starting at Tenten who had suddenly and out of the blue fallen to the floor. Ino waited a second a smile gracing her face ready to laugh at her but Tenten did not move. Ino's smile was wiped from her face as she felt something tugging at her stomach.

"Tenten!"

She ran to meet her, Hinata two steps ahead and before she could say something pain gained suddenly over her body, she was shocked at all that was happening, was she sick now?! A wave of pain made her stop and double on her stomach, she was scared now, what was going on?!

She reached her hand out, calling in silence for Hinata who kept running for the brunette, not noticing how the blond was suffering behind her. Unable to yell, scream or even talk she fell to the floor too without a sound for help, the tall grass caressing her cheek. She was staring at Hinata's disappearing back as she felt nothing but pain for a second or two, she felt her body collapsing way too fast, in her grogginess she realized that it couldn't be more than ten seconds the lapse from where she had seen Tenten fall to the point to where she was… everything was so fast… her mind clouded, she wanted to think but her brain refused, Shikamaru… he would know what to do… between all the commotion she thought of him, and she gasped as the dark took her away.

-.-.-.-.-

I know its short but I hope you like it! Don't worry next chapter its almost already done, im finishing it as we speak, it would be up in a few days, things are getting interesting from this point on I hope, well review if you feel like it!

And if you have never played the game the girls played, do it! I played nonstop this holidays! It's really fun, you get to annoy all the people you want and they cant snap at you, it really amused me, well! Say no more!

-Juliet'lovestory-


	6. Worries

So here's the next part! Hope you like it and hope I am going on the right path, Chouji happens to be here, since I haven't wrote his second day of the trade I found it only fair for him to take part, and lest see what happens to the girls!

So go on, read and review if you feel like it.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

**-.-.-.-.-.-.-**

Chouji was working with Lee and Sakura today, surprisingly, the only group of two boys and a girl. So far it had only consisted on having a melting Lee over Sakura, who just scoffed all the time regretting her luck trying with all her might to be nice to him. Chouji, to say the least, was almost next to zero interested on this day match. Lee… Lee was just too much for him, he wanted to run, he wanted to jump, he wanted to _train._ Chouji made a face, Lee had just this energy that never ended and Chouji was beginning to get annoyed, Shikamaru never bothered him if he didn't want to run a lap around Konoha.

Sakura was trying her best to be nice to both of them at this task and so far she was succeeding, at least a little bit, only because Lee was always ready to do whatever she wanted, stars on his eyes all the time, or hearts, depending of what she said, he just nodded in agreement and helped here and there.

They were in the city helping the most busy and important street of Konoha full of stores, it had been six months since the street had a proper maintenance. Usually all the owners would come together and pay to the hokage a fair amount of money to get theirs street fixed with the extra little things the other streets didn't have. The hokage would take the money and send genins to do the repairs for the whole street- that could involve anything, fixing, painting, shattered glass, garbage, attending, the list can go on and on. So this time it was their time to do it, Sakura had done it before, Sasuke's ability with fire helped a lot at times when they needed to create glass (a technique he had developed over years of practice) something Sakura had told him it was amazing. And Naruto's amazing ability to create more Narutos was, without a doubt, the best jutsu ever. The kage bunshin no justu. Not that she would ever tell him that but she did thank him from time to time. So with a bunch of Narutos and a skillfull Sasuke this mission was always a long but easier one.

Sakura missed them both to no end right at the moment, even the annoying blond. Naruto would cheer her up and help her with almost anything she had trouble with, seriously, Naruto knew about everything and knew how to fix whatever at hand, Sasuke knew about some other things, like the theory part of things and he helped Naruto a lot too while fixing something they couldn't quite understand, and they both were amazing when it came to hard work and team things, helping Sakura all the time in whatever they saw she needed help, not that she called for it, but after years of being together they kind of knew when she needed help and she knew when they were lost without her.

Sakura was of great help too, she was amazing with costumers and owners! Sasuke was… well, the loved one on the city, but he just hated to talk and was pretty bad at it when he wanted to be, and Naruto would love to help but he was having a hard time with villagers, not all of them but sure a lot of people still hated him, each day he was more liked… but that didn't mean people on the street didn't stare at him. So Sakura made all the deals, the treats in the stores, she was the one who know what to do and when to do it, she loved when they came to her asking her for instructions, she didn't feel useless.

But, as has been told, right now nothing was working. Lee was enthusiastic to the point people couldn't finish a word of what they wanted before he going on full speed to do it just to realize he had done it wrong because of his impatience, so Sakura was always trying to catch him before he made a mess. Finally she had asked him for patience after giving a lecture. Chouji was amused at the whole thing and laughed, she was so like Ino at times and when Sakura turned to glare at him he decided that right now he wished she was not. Lee luckily listened to her! Kurenai, the sensei that was with them for the day, looked approvingly to her when Lee finally was doing things right.

A few hours later Sakura and Chouji were fixing a glass of a store that had broke, replacing it with a new one, Sakura concentrating on not letting the huge glass lean too much to one side otherwise the weight would be too much and the glass would break, Lee was running around the place asking the owners if they needed anything they wanted to get rid of along with Kurenai, who was great with annoying kids, Sakura thought, Kiba must be a hard kid to be with, as she was doing a great job at handling Lee. Thing were looking good for them now.

She remembered how Kiba and Naruto were getting along and made a mental note to ask Naruto about that later on…

"Sakura-chan?" Chouji asked suddenly, Sakura looked over to him as they both placed the huge glass on the base of the window and started to see if it fit. "Do you know what happened to Naruto?"

Sakura glanced at him and then focused on the glass again.

"What about him?"

"He had a broken arm this morning, I couldn't ask Ino but Im sure you know"

She winced, she hadn't even asked him anything about his broken arm, even Sasuke had reached for him when the teachers weren't looking and asked if he was okay earlier that day.

Well, he said 'how a lame excuse for a ninja can you be for breaking your arm jumping from a roof?'

Naruto just scoffed and waved his arms a little, frustrated. 'Well I was helping a friend, idiot, just give me a week and I'll break you.'

Sasuke smirked and had walked away. Sakura knew he had been worried, but hearing Naruto said he will 'kick his ass' in a week he got what he wanted. Yes Naruto was mad, he was injured, but he would be perfectly fine in a week he had said, and he did argue with him too, so problem solved, Naruto was alright.

Sakura hadn't even done that, she was a terrible teammate. She didn't spare him a look.

"Sakura-chan? Are you okay?" Chouji asked after he saw that the pink haired girl wasn't responding. She came back from her reverie.

"Yes, I was just worried… about him…" Sakura trailed off, lying, hoping to get off the hook.

"…So what happened to him?"

Sakura pretended to be immersed on the glass and how it was coming off, placing all her strength on not letting it lean away from the window, Chouji was having trouble too so he forgot. Besides, Chouji was a very intelligent guy, he knew when to drop topics, well, he had learned cause whenever he crossed lines Ino would hit him in the arm, he kind of imagined Ino doing that to him right now, so he shut up. He concentrated in not letting go for the glass, he looked around looking for the glue that would held the glass in place, he was wondering wherever Sakura would be able to reach it when suddenly they heard someone screaming, they both turned their heads in confusion.

"Wha—" Sakura started to say when Lee voice reached their ears, this time closer.

"What happened to her?!" It was Lee's voice and it was full with concern, they shared a look.

"Do you think is Kurenai?" Sakura asked Chouji her eyes fixed on the street. A second later they saw how Lee was running along with Hinata behind Kakashi sensei, someone on his arms, but Chouji wasn't looking at that, she was looking at Gai sensei run along with him with a girl he knew so well on his arms, what had happened?! He felt something tugging on his stomach, did ninjas attacked them?!

"Ino!" Chouji shouted to the air, cause the moment the words finally left his mouth the two jounins along with their genins had already disappeared down the street, far away, towards the hospital disappearing in the mass of the people on the street.

Sakura in all the hassle and startled at Chouji's shout let go of the glass for a second, her wanting to go and run for Kakashi sensei clouded her mind a little. That little was all that it took. The glass leaned too much and Chouji wasn't paying attention, he had let go of it first wanting to un after Ino too. So the glass started to fell at losing both supports, it all happened too fast, Sakura shouted and reached for the glass trying to stabilize it but it was too late, she lost the grasp of it due to the weight and gravity and she let it go, she could only hope that Chouji would do the same as her, as she jumped high and out of the reach of the glass calling for him as she did so.

Chouji was glued to the ground, thinking fast, unaware of everything. Tenten was surely the other girl on Kakashi's arms, seeing that Hinata was running with them too and going back to the trade, where those three had ended together. What happened to them? And why were they both of them unconscious? Were they hurt? Were they dead?

Chouji felt a huge weight on his back and he wondered what was happening before he felt it, he snapped back to reality a second later, the huge pain on his back left for a cold one to replace it, it fell on it hard and he fell to his knees, the huge weight had caught him unaware, in other circumstances eh would have been able to stop whatever that was. The more he reached the ground the more that thing on his back weighted, he thought his back would break in two any second, his knees yelled in pain, his heart ached at the thought of Ino. His mind clicked, his ninja reflexes kicked in.

Move this thing away. His mind and body told him.

_Now._

The pain was just too much, his grief was just too much. Shikamaru would have said something along the lines of 'Always think for one more second before acting if given the chance' well, he threw that advice away.

And that's where he went wrong, with all his strength he pushed the thing away from him with a punch full of rage, a millisecond later he realized his mistake, too late to do something about it as his eyes grew wide… and the immensely huge glass broke into million pieces.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Shikamaru was thinking of how this day had went by as he ate his food, laughing at Naruto's horrible habits. The smirk quickly faded away as he thought of Ino. He had acted horribly against her today at morning, but hell with it! How dare she go to a date with Kiba? Kiba for kami's sake! And without telling him! Cause he could bet she knew this yesterday, since _yesterday_ she had been paired up with Naruto and Kiba, hence the date. Hence she knowing and accepting… and yesterday at night he had been at her house and decided to say nothing, playing fool! While they choose a dog for her to adopt!

Was she ashamed of telling him? He wondered, leaving the topic of the dog for later. She could have told him… they were friends, best friends. Then again why was he acting like this towards her? Was he over-protective? Chouji would had agree, he decided. Chouji was always telling him Ino was a big girl and that she could take care of herself. Yes, yes he knew that! But the 'What if' in his never ended.

What if Ino's jutsu goes wrong? What if Ino gets hurts? What if Ino freaks out? What if she forgets the plan? If she starts panicking and run away? What if she is captured? What then? What if what if what _if…_ his mind played all the possible results in a second for him, so no one could actually blame him for always putting-or trying cause the girl was stubborn- to get her out of trouble.

He glanced at Naruto annoyed, coming back from his thoughts and sighed . That blond kid knew too much, for what he had told Shikamaru yesterday whatever his feelings he knew. Naruto of all people. Shikamaru sighed and looked down at his food, and with his earth beating fast he dared to wonder… was he jealous?

Shikamaru was at lost here, his heart made a single thud on his chest. Jealous? Could he be? Jealous… maybe, after all Ino was his best friend, it was normal, he told himself. Kinda like a brother leaving her sister on the first date. His mind blocked that thought the second it came to his mind, he never looked at her like a sister… he never could. Ugh, what was happening to him?

Asuma just shared a glance with him and Shikamaru smirked at seeing this, he had missed sensei ability to understand him so well with just a look, since yesterday he couldn't even look at Kakashi both eyes.

"Are you okay, Shikamaru?" Asuma asked as Neji and Naruto rolled into a conversation over why and how he should ask Hinata on a training practice. Neji didn't want to talk about her cousin love affairs with the blond, but the blond was actually asking out of curiosity and Neji started the complicated process of how to ask a girl to train without sounding condescending. Tenten fault of course.

"Fine… just a interesting day"

He remembered his day from the begging. He had left Hokage tower along with Naruto and Neji retrieved the cat, then they had helped Asuma on creating the report for the Hokage for today's trade. He had been occupied with some 'issues' those issues being Kurenai he could bet, so they had to explain to him how they had worked and how they had managed to catch the damned cat so he could write the report. Explaining to him all the while that they wished to work in the future, none of them said it that enthusiastically, cause they were ninjas, men ninjas and they were supposed to act cool, but it was clear to Asuma sensei that they were actually good friends, after that he invited the kids the meal, congratulating them on their team work. Shikamaru knew it was just because he didn't want Tsundae to know he had left half the day to tour the city with Kurenai and her team, Chouji being on that team.

Asuma smiled at their faces when he announced the meal, though.

Naruto made a happy dance again making out a song and Neji laughed at it, _out loud_, that was new. Shikamaru just made a face, all the while smiling slightly, Ino was usually the one dancing and beaming about going to eat after a long day and Chouji was always the one with the biggest smile on his face, god he needed to think of an apology. He decided, a good one.

"Just make sure Ino doesn't see you with me like this, she would never shut up."

Right now they were finishing lunch, Asuma was saying he needed to fix something with a few clients that he needed to take care of, none of them understood but nodded nonetheless, he was about to leave when a pink haired girl caught a glimpse of them and run to their tableIgnoring the people on her way and excusing herself when she almost ran into a little boy, she made it in seconds to where they were enjoying their meal. They all looked at her startled.

"Sakura, Wha—" Naruto started at seeing her face, it took him a second to realize something was wrong, very wrong. "Are you okay? What happened?"

"Fine…im fine" She said in a hurry, he saw him getting to his feet, worry painted in his face and she started for a second to his arm, she would ask about that later. She looked into his eyes.

"Sakura?" Shikamaru asked amused at the whole thing, Sakura snapped back to reality and acted.

"Its Ino, Ino and Tenten, they are in the hospital, I was sent to get you." She said as she made a move to leave, waiting for the team in the table to react. "Let's go!"

And thanks god they were ninjas cause in a second Neji, Shikamaru and Asuma were already running along her to the hospital leaving a very confused Naruto behind to pay. Worried faces in all of the three as the dodged the people having meal and finally ran down the street.

Naruto looked at this wallet and then at the waiter and smiled sheepishly. "I need to go to the bathroom…."

-.-.-.-

"What do you mean they are in the hospital?!" Asuma asked Sakura the second they left the restaurant as they made their way around the village, jumping from rooftops at speed of lighting, Shikamaru was having a hard time concentrating on her words. Ino? Injured? Why and how?!

"They were on their misson." Sakura said as she jumped, clearly overwhelmed by the facts, she was silent, Shikamaru wanted to slap her, the girl wasn't answering fast enough. "They… I don't know what happened exactly… I was just send to retrieve you, the second we reach the hospital we will know."

"How long had they been there?" Neji asked all ninja prepared, Shikamaru decided that was the best thing to do.

"Yes, are the others okay? What about Gai?" He asked, Sakura sighed and looked at them, they were reaching the hospital, a minute or two now.

"Look, I know what I saw and I did what Kurenai told me to do, find you. I did. They were both unconscious for what I saw." She wasn't angry but she didn't like the tone all of them were talking to her, she wasn't there, she just received orders. Neji nodded. "Stop asking me cause I know just as much as you do, it couldn't be more than fifteen minutes what it took me to find you, it could have been less but Kiba refused to help… or listen, he just ran to the hospital."

"Sorry, Sakura." Asuma said as he stared at the hospital. "Really."

She nodded and smiled at the three of them, Shikamaru nodded in her direction she whispered to him. "Hey… I least I didn't yell."

Sakura finally jumped from the last rooftop not waiting for a reply, no that she waited for one, Shikamaru along with his sensei, Tenten's mate and the girl hit ground and rushed inside the hospital.

Shikamaru looked around the place, nurses and ninja medics were around the place talking to family or taking care of patients that just came for medicine, but they all knew that inside, passing those bit glass doors was the big deal.

Asuma took care of it as the approached the reception, the students trailing behind.

"Im Asuma Sarutobi, Im the jounin in care of Ino Yamanaka. Where is she?" He said with hard stare to the girl behind the desk.

"Im sorry, I don't know."

"You don't know or you wont tell?" Asuma said with a long sigh, hands on the desk, Shikamaru hated Asuma's good kind heart at moments like this.

"That's what I've been told to do."

Neji looked like he wanted to tear apart the desk and just walk in, Shikamaru was on his side this time, Neji used his byakugan trying to catch a glimpse of Tenten.

Sakura took a step forward, brave on her façade as she looked at her co-worked "Tahmi, where is she, I am asking like a medic nin here."

She just looked at her and apologized.

"Why are you apologizing?" Shikamarus eyes grew big ready to just rush past her. For a second he dared thinking of Chouji, wondering where was he if Sakura was here. He had to send someone to retrieve him.

"You can't enter… not with them anyway" He looked the guys and smiled but the smile didn't reach her eyes, the boys just glared hared. "You are friends with them and—you know I can't let you enter Haruno, sorry, besides—"

The door of glass behind the nurse on the desk opened and out walked Kakashi, he sighed as he saw them, he looked relieved for a second to see Sakura on the group too before he spoke.

"Sakura, Tsundae is waiting for you, hurry." Was all he said before Sakura ran past him into the hospital ignoring the glare Thami had given him, the pink haired girl disappeared a second later from view.

"Kakashi where are the girls?" Asuma asked and Kakashi motioned them to go in and follow, all of the men ignored the nurse and her glares and protest as she said something like 'Freaking ninjas… they think they can outrun anyone' not that they cared at the moment.

"C'mon, lets go upstairs" Kakashi said tiredly as Asuma just nodded and followed, lost in thought, Neji behind them both noticed that Kakashi wasn't wearing his chunning vest, and that his back had been recently cured, his skin looked good as new but his black attire was ripped open and dried blood could be seen if you stared hard enough. He activated his blood trait… sure enough Kakashi still had a bunch of chakra, but it was diminished and he could see that he had around his low torso a bandage covered by his black attire.

Shikamaru and Neji shared a glance, they both noticed, with brain like theirs, that Kakashi had been evading the question for a while now and that he had been injured, if he had been injured that much… what about Ino and Tenten?

Ino would be alright… Shikamaru thought, surely… a million different scenarios played on his head, he just hoped Kakashi would start talking otherwise Ino being captured… Ino being injured… Ino being— he just couldn't, he was agonizing here, he knew it was wrong to yell on a hospital but he was close at doing so, anger cursing on his veins.

"It just one simple question! Where are they?" He said hissing to Kakashi trying to get his attention, unable to hold it back any longer, Neji glared so hard at Kakashi's back that Shikamaru was lost at how he was still breathing.

Kakashi kept on walking as he made his way to the elevator, once in he just looked at the two kids who either in their strong and brave façade looked frightened even now and to Asuma who glared at Kakashi, he had had enough. Kakashi prepared himself.

"So? Where is Ino?"

"We need to talk."

-.-.-.-.-.

There! Again I was caught on writing! This was almost all written, but decided to extend it and played with some thoughts on my head… so you'll just have to wait for the next chapter to know what happened to the girls and Chouji too. I just wanted to write a little bit from all the others point of view. Hope it didn't took me that long to update. For the record I never thought of going into so much trouble, this just was a funny story of a little thing I had in mind, somehow im liking this one much better... anyway.

Well, I am writing the next chapter as we speak so off I go! Review if you feel like it?

Thanks for the reviews again. Thanks Thanks thanks.

-Juliet'lovestory-


	7. Choices

So here's the next part, thanks for the reviews! The story of what happened is revealed, still don't know if I did a good job… or if you expected it of if you were waiting for more, if I disappointed you, I am sorry but I tried my best, that I can tell. So now I PROMISE, next chapter will say everything, hope I don't get emotional writing it.

So read read read if you feel like it!

Disclaimer: The second I own this amazing story I will let you know.

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"Kakashi?" Asuma asked as they took the elevator to the third floor, the door opened and they found themselves in a waiting room, again a nurse behind a desk and behind the desk a long corridor with doors and medic nins running around, they were on the operation floor. Kakashi was still not saying a thing, he walked to a table on the corner of the waiting room, not many people was there, Shikamaru wondered where was Gai and Lee, it looked like Neji was having the same thoughts as he used his justu to detect them.

"Gai sensei is with lee behind that wall along the corridor." He said looking at something Shikamaru couldn't see. Neji refused to sat on the table, Kakashi and Asuma were looking at the two kids, Shikamaru had his fits on his pockets ignoring Asuma's eyes, pleading him to sit. "They are waiting besides a room… a little waiting area, why are we not there?"

Kakashi sighed and again motioned them to just sit down, reluctantly Shikamaru did so, knowing they would win nothing if they didn't, Neji with his arm crossed did too. Asuma almost smirked, almost, these two kids were intelligent, cold when get into action, if it had been Naruto and Ino hell would had arrived, at the thought of his student he returned his eyes to Kakashi.

"What happened, Kakashi? Are the girls alright? Is Ino okay?"

Neji wanted to kick Asuma for just caring for Ino, but then again Tenten had never been his responsibility. Right now it was his.

Kakashi looked at the three of them and sighed, passing a hand over his mask and then he started talking.

"We were working in the outskirts of Konoha, helping a friend of mine build his fence, it's a huge house and a bigger garden so it would take a day or two, the girls were working outside as I caught up with him on some other business, he being a ninja retired had a lot to say to me, after all."

They all nodded, not knowing why this was important but Kakashi felt like he needed to explain himself.

"Im not sure how it happened, but it was around four, more or less, when he started feeling sick, I thought It was just the age, besides he was sick at the moment and he thought that too as we kept on talking, fifteen minutes later it was clear something was off, it wasn't right the way he was coughing , I decided to take him out and give him some water and his pills so I could take him to the hospital, I haven't even decided to act on it when four ninjas barged in through the window, we were on the third floor, I didn't even hear them coming." Kakashi didn't want to make the story much larger than it already was, so he shortened it. "I fought them, killed two as the other two ran away. Irashi was pretty bad right then he was of great help, but as I told you we was already having trouble with his own body."

"The girls? Did they notice anything?"

"They were too far away… on the other side of the place, they didn't know, and the ninjas looked confused and angry when they saw me there with Irashi, so I could tell they were expecting company." Shikamaru guessed Irashi was the retired ninja, he was listening intently, something might help for later, he had learned that over the years. "I was glad of it, the ninjas were strong, incredible strong, trained assassins, I was afraid if being faced they would have been too much for the girls, it took us twenty minutes to get rid of just two of them."

"They were there to kill Irashi…" Neji assumed, he wasn't angry anymore but it was clear he was having a hard time listening to stories instead of getting straight answers. "Is he a special ninja or something?"

Asuma sighed and relaxed a bit, talking was helping him. "He was supposed to take the place of Hokage after the fourth died, but he refused leaving Sarutobi on the charge again, Irashi always served Konoha and did good, he was extremely powerful… but he never intended on taking such a high rank."

"To be considered Hokage we can bet on it." Shikamaru said with a sigh. "So they were there to kill him, but why? If you say he's not only old but weak, what about the other two?"

"As I told you." Kakashi said leaning on the chair. "People is not only strong at abilities, but also knowledge." Kakashi wasn't sure anymore if he had told that to the girls, to team seven or to anyone ever, but he didn't stop to ask. "They where there for two things, a weapon and the knowledge to make it work, I realized that the other two must have gone to search the house looking for that."

Asuma looked at him. "And what did they get?"

Kakashi sighed and looked terribly old. "None of it. Irashi died a few minutes after killing the second, I supposed there goes the knowledge and whatever the weapon was we might never know."

"He didn't tell you?" Shikamaru asked paying a lot of attention to his only eye, Kakashi's eye looked into his.

"He did, tried at least, but whatever that weapon was, as I said, we might never know." Kakashi's silence bothered Shikamaru, it was like he was hiding something, Naruto's sensei eyes then darted to Neji. "The other two managed to escape, when I tracked them after realizing Irashi was really gone I found only one of them, that one was fighting Tenten, who had ran to the mansion to tell me something, I don't know what but when she ran to the second floor she found the man running and her being a ninja fought him noticing something was terribly wrong, I told her to run away when I caught on her and took her place at fighting the man, I told her to give advice to Ino and Hinata as I fought him and told her to look for one more ninja missing, she did…

His eyes traveled along the table and he was lost in thought. "However… walking and fighting down the corridor I noticed a broken window, the fourth ninja escaped breaking the window, I realized it, I thought that the girls could take him…

Kakashi just took a big gulp of air, he was still shaking at the thought of Irashi being dead. He had been his friends after all.

"The third ninja did as his partner and jumped down the window minutes later, I followed him and ran to catch him before he too found the girls. When I did I noticed the only one standing was Hinata, between Hinata and me we finished him off, didn't kill him, Im not sure Hinata had ever killed anyone" He eyed Neji and he shook his head. "So we took it as a prisoner, I sent my dog to give word of this, a couple of jounin came ten minutes later, took him prisoner and Gai and I rushed with Ino and Tenten to the hospital."

"What happened to the other one?"

"I don't know… I couldn't find him, I sent a team though, to search the whole place and look for any trace of him."

Neji and Shikamaru were quiet for a minute, leaving a ninja alive was really _really _bad news. Shikamaru had a thousand questions about that, but right now he couldn't care less about that ninja missing.

"Yeah, but that does not explain what happened, did they attack them? Or him? The one who got to run away." Shikamaru wondered out loud, the whole story was quite explanatory, but he still didn't get what had happened to Ino. Kakashi sighed.

"Before they entered… the ninjas, the ones who wanted to kill Irashi saw them working on the fence, for some reason they didn't want to kill them, maybe they thought they didn't represent a match worth fighting… they would lose time and surely Irashi would hear the noise eventually, they wanted to do this fast and quickly."

"Maybe" Neji decided. "So?"

"So they just took Hinata's bag" Kakashi said matter of fact. "and put poison on her juice while they worked, unaware of their doings, fast and clear— it was some kind of venom, the girls drank it all... when I found them on the floor I thought that they had either fainted because of shock, thing I knew it was not, or either the ninja who had run away had out smarted them, that seemed more logical to me. That fourth ninja had passed over them and ran. Hinata looked pretty shaken when I arrived catching the third assassin and that's the version I went for, whatever the case I didn't have time to ask. Hinata and I fought him for quite a while before we got a chance on him. When my dog was coming back Hinata had just ended telling me that they both had just collapsed… she never saw other ninja besides the one we fought. That's when I got really preoccupied, all the time we fought I thought they were only out of energy."

"So the fourth is still missing." Asuma noted.

Kakashi nodded.

He saved the part when he noticed both their heart beats were so low he thought they were dead, thanks Hinata that told him they were still alive, but barely… and that's where she noticed something running through their veins, making their chakra a little bit blueish than normal thanks to her blood trait. She gasped, she had seen this before, her eyes had widened at the fast speed the venom had attacked, cause now she knew, they had been poisoned.

"The second she told me I got a grip of Ino and made a double to carry Tenten, half way here Gai found us… and the rest you know. I decided to take care of them before going for the left missing ninja"

They were quiet for a while before Shikamaru dared to ask.

"So? Are they alright? We've been asking that question for a while now and we still don't know." Shikamaru's face was unreadable, but Asuma knew he was just faking it, one part of him was glad Kakashi had broke one of the rules of being ninja and instead of following the enemy he had taken care of the two kunoichis first.

"Rell us everything you know." Asuma hurried him.

Kakashi ran a hand through his hair, he wasn't prepared for this, they weren't his pupils, he always knew how to act in front of Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura, a part of him was glad Sakura wasn't on this team today, otherwise she might be dead and that was a burden he wasn't ready to bear, he looked at both kids knowing one of them will surely never be the same, tiredly he answered what he knew at the moment.

"Right now they are being treated and they both are pretty bad, I wont lie, I thought both were dead by the time we reached the tower, the venom expanded incredibly quickly, their bodies lasted longer thanks to the fact they hadn't use much chakra since the trade started, so they had energy to fight it… still—taking the amount of time it took me and Gai to bring them to the hospital and then getting Tsundae-sama… they only got worse, Hinata was telling us all the time they were alive, she could see it but—even Gai was starting to doubt her. Ino was cold by the time we finally reached here" Kakashi looked so exhausted, like if he had run hundred miles, maybe he did. "One of them is with Tsundae right now and the other with other medic nin… it looks like one was the one most injured because of the venom… she had twice than the other, Tsundae could only work with one… so she choose the one that looked that— she took the one with more chances with her."

Kakashi looked as Neji and Shikamaru stiffened, he could almost read their minds… if Tsundae was taking care of either one of them, she was going to be alright, they believed Tsundae was kinda like a god that could cure and heal anyone… but what about the one that was with the other medic nin? There were good medic nins yes, especially here in Konoha, but no one like Tsundae. They were genious, smart ninjas, so they didn't look over the part of "with more chances" one of them could die.

"Who?" Asuma asked tired of not having straight answers. "Who did Tsundae choose?!"

Kakashi looked at Neji in the eye and then at Shikamaru kinda feeling sorry for him.

"She chose Tenten."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Shikamaru's world stopped. He couldn't register the words fast enough. Tenten? She chose Tenten?! Over Ino?! Shikamaru spaced out and tuned the world around him as pain started to climb on his body, he could hear Asuma and Kakashi arguing over something as Neji placed his hand on his shoulder, if he ever said anything Shikamaru didn't hear it. Shikamaru didn't register when he had shaken his hand off. Tsundae would save Tenten…. And let Ino aside?! Just like that?!

Ino… would Ino die? Kakashi had said that Tsundae had chosen the one who had more chances with her, what did it mean? That she was gone? That she was dying just across the room because Tenten had more chances?! That Tsundae had decided that Ino was dead anyway and saved the one with more chances was beyond him. She was the Hokage, he respected her and worked for her all this years without complain, and now she had decided to let Ino on her own to fight just because some stupid chance? Some stupid math calculations of who could make it? Stupid chances and stupid math! He couldn't think straight, pain exploded in his chest. All this time he had worked to keep Ino safe and now she was fading!

Fading and he could do nothing only blame himself.

It was a pain he had never experienced before, so raw, so _real, _and right then and there he wondered if he was dying.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Asuma was in shock for a second before he started demanding Kakashi for a clear explanation.

"What do you mean Tsundae choose Tenten?! What happened to Ino then?"

"I don't know… all I know is that they have been inside for about an hour now."

Asuma wasn't listening. "Ino, what about her?"

"She's with another medic nin, I told you Asuma, Tsundae took Tenten and walked away with her, Ino—"

"She was left behind? Just like that?" Asuma didn't know how to react to all this. "Surely she wasn't! I need to see her."

"Relax! She's—"

"Don't say she's fine cause that's not true." Asuma glared at him, ready to kick him in the face for letting his pupil, his little girl, his almost daughter get injured like that, Ino had never_, ever_, been close to death on his team, yes, she has escaped from it more times than he would like to acknowledge, she had get injured too, badly, but never _this_, never this near to be gone. "And don't say she's dead because I won't believe it."

Kakashi sighed and placed both his hand on the air, surrendering "All I know is that she's being take care of, she wasn't left behind!"

"If Tsundae made a choice… Im not sure that's true."

Asuma glared at him for a few moments before he pulled out a cigarette ignoring the huge sign on the wall that said otherwise, he didn't speak to Kakashi after that, he looked around Neji was no longer there, he noticed amused cause he didn't hear him leave, surely to find Hinata and hear the rest of the story, Kakashi had left too after a minute when he was called on the reception on the first floor.

"Kakashi-san your other pupil is here, Uzumaki Naruto." The nurse said with an annoyed look on her face. "He claims that if you don't go down to let him in, in a minute he will throw the door down."

Kakashi chuckled a little but the happiness didn't reach his eyes. "Im coming, im coming."

Before he left he put his hand on Asuma shoulder said an apology and finally left the table, leaving both student and sensei alone, Asuma was taking a huge amount of air before turning off the cigarette, now finished and started another too much of the disgrace of the nurses attending the families nearby giving information, he turned to look at Shikamaru he was looking at his hands that feel limply on his lap, Asuma decided that at least he had to make one thing right today.

"Hey, kiddo, are you okay?"

Shikamaru turned to look at his teacher and shrugged, his eyes fixed on the table.

"She will be alright, we know Ino… stubborn kid, she'll be alright." Shikamaru nodded and sighed a little, Asuma could see a storm of thoughts and feelings was rushing through him so he gave him a minute or two to collect himself, finally, feeling kind of confident Shikamaru looked into his eyes, if he looked confident his eyes gave him away.

"Where's Chouji? He needs to know, to be here, Ino will be pissed if he's not crying on her bed." Shikamaru said with a sigh, Asuma laughed a little.

"You are right. C'mon lets go and find him."

Shikamaru wasn't feeling like going anywhere but stay there, close as possible to know the news.

"Or—" Asuma said with a little smile noticing his uneasiness. "We can ask Hinata to do us the favor, since she has done everything she could and she probably deserves some sleep."

Shikamaru wondered where his friend was, seeing that Sakura was the one who saw it all and Chouji was supposed to be with her but said nothing as they reached across the hall, in a very little waiting area was Gai with Lee and Neji, none of them talking, just looking at the ceiling and then at the door that said none of them could cross, on the other side was Tenten with Tsundae, he couldn't see them, but he knew and that made his blood boil.

Shikamaru thought waiting here was even worst, all team Gai seemed quite relaxed but still gazed at the door giving them away, of course. He was having a hard time breathing. Tsundae is taking care of Tenten. He decided to push that thought away, Ino was taking care of too, just across the hall in the other room, he would go there the second he talked to Hinata.

Asuma went to talk to Gai, Gai stood up and started to say something that didn't stopped Asuma's worries… injured, venom… close to death. Shikamaru tuned all of it out, he didn't think of anything, he wouldn't until he heard Ino was going to be fine, so politely he asked Hinata if she could look for Chouji and now that she was at it send message to Ino's parents, just in case they didn't know. He looked down the hall, nope, no one waiting at Ino's little waiting room.

Shikamaru felt an urge to run there.

Hinata smiled a little and squeezed his hand before leaving, Shikamaru stood up and lazily walked to the Ino's waiting room, he wasn't going to move from this spot. He decided. Not till Ino walked out safe and sound. A few minutes later or hours later Shikamaru couldn't tell Naruto's blond hair appeared, Shikamaru waved at him exhausted, Naruto hurried to him as he balanced his weight on one leg or the other.

"I just heard…"

Shikamaru just looked at him and Naruto understood, he didn't want to talk, however he still needed to say something to him, he opened his mouth.

"I don't wanna know, Naruto, save it."

Naruto scoffed at him. "Its important."

"I bet it is…" Shikamaru sighed as he looked at the ceiling. "Have you seen Chouji on your way here, or Hinata for that matter?"

Naruto sighed and with his hand on his pockets he sat beside the guy, Asuma was still talking to Gai he supposed cause he wasn't there waiting with him, maybe he had gone to retrieve Ino's parents and Chouji himself.

"Yeah… kind of."

Shikamaru looked at him. "You did? Where is he then?" He looked over the blond shoulder just to see if Chouji was really not there.

"Well you see, Hinata found out first and when she came here to tell you Sakura found her first… and Sakura told us to not tell you but I believe you should know… that— well, after all that is happening…" Naruto was having a hard time. Shikamaru just glared at him hard, Naruto gulped. "Fine! Fine I'll tell! Chouji is in the hospital too, room 267 if you were wondering."

Shikamaru's eyes snapped open he wanted to mutter something but couldn't, his mind was refusing to work lately it seemed, Naruto smiled sadly at seeing his expression.

"Told you it was important."

-.-.-.-.-.-

And off I go as to write the next chapter, I am getting exited! Finally! I shall not make you wait any longer though, review if you feel like it?

-Juliet'lovestory-


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